Alexandre Pato

Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva (born September 2, 1989 in Pato Branco, Paraná), better known as Alexandre Pato, is a Brazilian striker currently playing for Italian club AC Milan.

Early life

Alexandre started playing futsal at the age of 3. His ability soon became known all around the south Brazilian state of Paraná. After being praised by many of his managers, the teenager went to Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, to try out for Gremio, his favourite team as a child. However, his family decided that he should sign for Internacional. In 2001, at the age of 11, he moved there and started sharing housing with 83 other teenagers that, much like him, wanted to make a name for themselves in the Internacional first team.

In 2000, when Alexandre was 10 years old, x-rays from a broken bone revealed that he had a tumor in his arm. The doctors realized that the tumor would become cancerous in two months if not removed. Alexandre's family could not afford the surgery to remove the tumor, but the doctor, Paulo Roberto Mussi, was a family friend, and operated for free. This event was particularly significant because it occurred in a very crucial year when Alexandre was working towards a professional career with Internacional.

He adopted the nickname Alexandre Pato ("Alex the Duck"), after the city where he was born.

Club career

Internacional

Pato began his playing career at Internacional in Porto Alegre, where he played for both the youth and senior teams between 2001 and 2007. On his first team debut, at the age of 17, Pato helped Internacional to a 4-1 win over Palmeiras on November 26, 2006. Pato had created three of the goals and scored the other goal.

Pato scored Internacional's first goal of the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup on December 13 in the semi-final game against Al-Ahly Cairo, helping the team win 2-1 and a spot in the final. With this goal Pato has taken Pelé's record as younger scorer in the history of official FIFA competitions (17 years and 102 days, against Pelé's 17 years and 239 in the 1958 FIFA World Cup against Wales). He was substituted in the final of the competition, before teammate Adriano Gabiru scored the winner, ensuring the title for Internacional.

Pato was linked to several high profile clubs including AC Milan, S.L. Benfica, Juventus, Inter, Chelsea and Arsenal.

A.C. Milan

Incumbent European champions A.C. Milan officially confirmed the signing of Pato on August 2, 2007. The transfer fee paid amounts to the minimum fee clause in Pato's contract with SC Internacional for €22 million.

Due to Italian football regulations regarding non-EU minors, Pato was unable to play official matches for Milan until January 3, 2008, when the Italian transfer window and registration reopened. However, AC Milan was allowed to include the player in friendlies and training beginning September 3, 2007, one day after his 18th birthday. Pato made his non-competitive debut in a 2-2 draw against Dynamo Kyiv on September 7, 2007 and scored a header. As of January 4, 2008, Pato's transfer to Milan became official.

Pato scored his first Milan goal in his Serie A debut against S.S.C. Napoli in a 5-2 home victory on January 13, 2008.

International career

He helped Brazil win the 2007 South American Youth Championship in Paraguay, which qualified the country for both the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada and has been selected by Dunga for 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Career honours

Internacional

* Winner
o Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-20: 2006
o FIFA Club World Cup: 2006
o Recopa Sudamericana: 2007

Brazilian national football team

* Winner
o 2007 South American U-20 Championship