Alex de Souza, whose full name is Alexsandro de Souza, was born on 14 July 1977 in Curitiba, Brazil. He is a Brazilian professional footballer and coach. Throughout his career, Alex played as an attacking midfielder and is particularly renowned for his vision, passing ability, and free-kick goals.
Alex began his professional career in 1995 with Coritiba of Brazil, followed by stints at Palmeiras, Cruzeiro, and a spell with Parma in Italy. He spent the most successful period of his career at Fenerbahçe in Türkiye (2004–2012). During his eight seasons at Fenerbahçe, he served as team captain and became a club legend. He scored 171 goals and provided 147 assists in 344 appearances. He is regarded as an iconic figure in Fenerbahçe’s history. Alex also won the Copa América (1999) and the FIFA Confederations Cup (1999) with the Brazil national team.
Alex began his professional career in 1995 with Coritiba. After two seasons, he transferred to Palmeiras in 1997. He made 124 appearances and scored 32 goals for Coritiba.
Alex joined Palmeiras in 1997 and played there for five years. During this time, he won the Copa Libertadores with the club and earned a call-up to the Brazil national team. He scored 78 goals in 241 matches for Palmeiras.
In the second half of the 2001–2002 season, Alex returned to Brazil and signed with Flamengo. However, he failed to meet expectations, making only 12 appearances and scoring 3 goals.
Alex signed with Cruzeiro in 2002. He was selected for the Brazil national team for the 2004 Copa América and helped the team win the tournament.
Plaque awarded to Alex by Cruzeiro
Alex de Souza holds a special place in Fenerbahçe’s history. The Brazilian footballer played for Fenerbahçe for eight seasons after joining in 2004 and etched his name into the club’s legacy.
Alex’s Winning Goal in the First Derby at TT Arena
Alex won the affection of Fenerbahçe fans not only for his achievements on the pitch but also for his character. Among supporters, he is known as “The Captain,” “The Great Captain,” and “The Legend.” Alex de Souza has become one of the most iconic figures in the club’s history. His playing style and leadership are detailed in the book “Alex de Souza: The Story of a Legend,” published in both Turkish and Portuguese. In recognition of his contributions to Fenerbahçe, a statue of him was erected beside the stadium in Kadıköy in 2012.
The player began his international career in 1992 at the age of 15 with the Brazil youth national team. Over subsequent years, he made 19 appearances for various youth levels. He played alongside globally renowned names such as Romário, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, and Ronaldinho in the senior national team. After turning professional in 1995, Alex achieved significant success with the national team.
Alex and Ronaldinho with the Brazil National Team
Alex won the Copa América with Brazil in both 1999 and 2004. He captained the national team during the 2004 Copa América victory. He made 49 appearances and scored 12 goals for the Brazil senior national team. Across all Brazil national teams, he played 68 matches and scored 21 goals. In club football, Alex appeared in 917 matches, scoring 378 goals and providing 264 assists. In international matches across all categories, he played 73 games and scored 22 goals. Overall, Alex played 990 official matches (917 club and 73 national team), scoring 400 goals (378 club and 22 national team). His goal average per match is 0.4.
Alex began his coaching career in 2021 with the U20 team of São Paulo in Brazil, where he focused on developing young players and gained valuable experience. In 2022, he signed with Avaí FC, a team in Brazil’s Serie B, and took on the role of head coach. However, this tenure was short-lived, and his contract was terminated in 2023. In 2024, Alex signed with Antalyaspor of the Türkiye Süper Lig and became the team’s head coach at the start of the season. Following a 5–0 defeat to Trabzonspor in the 18th week of the league, his contract was terminated by Antalyaspor’s management on 13 February 2025.
Alex de Souza as Head Coach of Antalyaspor
Alex married Daiane, whom he met in 1997, on 9 September 2000. The couple has three children:
In addition, Alex’s father-in-law is the former president of the Brazilian football club Coritiba.
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Football Career
Coritiba FC (1995–1997)
Palmeiras (1997–2000)
Flamengo (2001)
Cruzeiro (2002–2004)
Fenerbahçe (2004–2012)
Achievements
National Team Career
Tournaments Participated In
Coaching Career
Family Life