VfL Wolfsburg once paid almost ten million euros for Andrés d’Alessandro. He didn’t become the big star of the Bundesliga. Nevertheless, he had a fulfilling career.
Former Bundesliga professional Andrés d’Alessandro said goodbye to football in Brazil with a gala performance. The 41-year-old scored the equalizer in SC Internacional’s 2-1 (1-1) draw against EC Fortaleza in Porto Alegre on Sunday evening, and the enthusiastic fans at the Estádio Beira-Rio celebrated their idol.
“I didn’t imagine it to be that perfect. I wanted to say goodbye with a win. But to score a goal, man…” said the Argentine, who left the field to applause and tears when he was substituted, on Brazilian television. “I am where I want to be, ended my career where I wanted to be.”
The midfielder was under contract at VfL Wolfsburg from 2003 to 2006. The wolves paid him the handsome sum of 9.5 million euros as a transfer fee.
The native Argentinian, who also has Brazilian citizenship, played more than 500 games for SC International, won the 2010 Copa Libertadores and was voted South America’s “Player of the Year”. D’Alessandro won Olympic gold with the Argentine national team in 2004.