Álvaro Henrique Alves Pires

Football player infobox


playername = Álvaro Pires
fullname = Álvaro Henrique Alves Pires
height = height|ft=5|in=10
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1985|3|11|mf=y
cityofbirth = Jardinópolis
countryofbirth = Brazil
currentclub = Los Angeles Galaxy
clubnumber = 15
position = defensive-midfielder
youthyears = 2002–2003
youthclubs = Internacional
years = 2004–2006
2007 2008–
clubs = Internacional Spartak Nalchik
Los Angeles Galaxy
caps(goals) = 013 0(0)
016 0(1)
pcupdate = 21 August 2008

Álvaro Henrique Alves Pires, or simply Álvaro Pires, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a defensive-midfielder, currently playing for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer.

A native of Jardinópolis, Brazil (just outside of Sao Paulo), Pires signed his first professional contract at the age of 16 with Brazilian side Internacional and broke into the first team at the age of 19. He spent three years there, appearing in a handful of games, before signing with Russian side Spartak Nalchik, then of the Russian First Division.

Pires had been on trial with Los Angeles Galaxy during the club's pre-season, featuring in the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship in Hawaii, and featuring on their Asian tour in China and Hong Kong. Having impressed Galaxy coach Ruud Gullit with his performances, Pires signed a full professional contract with Galaxy on March 28, 2008. [http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=soc-mls/news/news.aspx?id=4141260] .

He made his MLS debut in Galaxy's first match of the 2008 season against Colorado Rapids on March 29, 2008, and scored his first MLS goal on 7 June 2008 - also against Colorado.

ee also

* List of current MLS players

External links

* [http://la.galaxy.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t106&player=alvespires_a&playerId=alv193427&statType=current LA Galaxy Profile]