UPFRONT
Corinthians 2 Santos 3
December 15, 2002
Brazilian Serie A final
“For me, this game was a life-changing event. Back then the league had a different format: the best eight clubs qualified for a play-off competition, and my Santos team just made it into eighth on goal difference. We then reached the final against arch rivals Corinthians and sealed an unforgettable result to end an 18-year major trophy drought. Santos had an exciting crop of talent and I’m proud to have been part of it. We won the first leg 2-0 – in the second, Corinthians were 2-1 up after 88 minutes when I equalised at a full Estadio do Morumbi. We even scored an injury-time winner – top day.’’
Inter 1 Shakhtar Donetsk 1
August 24, 2005
Champions League qualifying
“It’s funny, because we were knocked out of the Champions League and the game had to be played behind closed doors at San Siro. But for me, despite the disappointing result and poor atmosphere, it was a real milestone in my career. I was very new to European football, so it was fantastic to have the opportunity to put in a decent performance against such an important opponent. I scored Shakhtar’s equaliser – it gave me a lot of confidence about my role in the team. The goal also guaranteed I could poke fun at Inter keeper Julio Cesar when we next saw each other with the Brazil national side!’’
Brazil 3 Argentina 0
September 3, 2006
Friendly
“There aren’t many players who can say they’ve bagged a brace in a clash between Brazil and Argentina, so it was a magical afternoon for me. Argentina had a superb squad and we managed to outplay them at the Emirates Stadium in London. Those goals were key for my continuity with the Selecao. I was still playing for Shakhtar, so that performance against our rivals also helped to showcase myself to bigger clubs in Europe. A few months later, I was back in England as a Manchester City player. I’m in no doubt that victory over Argentina had an influence on what followed in my career.’
