Max Alves

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Max Alves

| image =

| fullname = Max Alves da Silva

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|5|12|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Juiz de Fora, Brazil

| height = 1.75 m{{cite web |title=Max Alves da Silva |url=https://www.coloradorapids.com/players/max-alves-da-silva/ |access-date=22 August 2022 |publisher=Colorado Rapids}}

| currentclub = Cuiabá

| clubnumber = 8

| position = Attacking midfielder

| youthyears1 = 2016–2017

| youthclubs1 = Uberabinha

| youthyears2 = 2018

| youthclubs2 = AMDH

| youthyears3 = 2019–2020

| youthclubs3 = Tupi

| youthyears4 = 2020–2021

| youthclubs4 = Flamengo

| years1 = 2021–2022

| clubs1 = Flamengo

| caps1 = 12

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2021

| clubs2 = → Cuiabá (loan)

| caps2 = 15

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2022–2023

| clubs3 = Colorado Rapids

| caps3 = 36

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2022

| clubs4 = Colorado Rapids 2

| caps4 = 4

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2024–

| clubs5 = Cuiabá

| caps5 = 0

| goals5 = 0

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| club-update = 20:47, 8 January 2024 (UTC)

| ntupdate =

}}

Max Alves da Silva (born 12 May 2001), simply known as Max, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Cuiabá.

Career

=Early career=

Born in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Max Alves joined Flamengo's youth setup in January 2020, from Tupi.{{cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/br/not%C3%ADcias/quem-e-max-jovem-do-flamengo-que-fez-o-primeiro-gol-do-clube/1vs7f1fqzb1tb1qetgbv0ygje5|title=Quem é Max, jovem do Flamengo que fez o primeiro gol do clube na temporada 2021|trans-title=Who is Max, youngster of Flamengo who scored the first goal of the club in the 2021 season|publisher=Goal|language=pt-BR|date=2 March 2021|accessdate=29 October 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.torcedores.com/noticias/2020/01/fechado-flamengo-contrata-destaque-da-copinha-2020|title=Fechado! Flamengo contrata destaque da Copinha 2020|trans-title=Done deal! Flamengo sign a spotlight of the 2020 Copinha|publisher=Torcedores.com|language=pt-BR|date=28 January 2020|accessdate=29 October 2021}}

=Flamengo=

Max Alves made his first team debut on 3 March 2021, coming on as a second-half substitute for Daniel Cabral in a 1–0 Campeonato Carioca home win over Nova Iguaçu, and also scoring the game's only goal. He made his Série A debut on 13 June, replacing Bruno Henrique late into a 2–0 home success over América Mineiro.

==Cuiabá (loan)==

On 17 September 2021, Max Alves was loaned to fellow top tier side Cuiabá until the end of the year.{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/flamengo/noticia/flamengo-empresta-o-meia-max-ao-cuiaba-ate-o-fim-do-ano-ano.ghtml|title=Flamengo empresta o meia Max ao Cuiabá até o fim do ano|trans-title=Flamengo loan midfielder Max to Cuiabá until the end of the year|publisher=ge|language=pt-BR|date=17 September 2021|accessdate=29 October 2021}}

=Colorado Rapids=

On 6 January 2022, Max Alves signed a four-year deal with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Colorado Rapids.{{Cite web|url=https://www.coloradorapids.com/news/colorado-rapids-sign-brazilian-midfielder-max-alves|title = Colorado Rapids Sign Brazilian Midfielder Max Alves}}

==Suspension==

On 10 May 2023, ESPN reported that Max Alves had been suspended by the Colorado Rapids in connection with alleged unlawful sports gambling. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, and subsequently by a report in O Globo, Alves was suspended for his involvement in the 2023 Brazilian football match-fixing scandal being investigated by prosecutors in Goiás state, Brazil.{{cite news |date=11 May 2023 |title=Source: Rapids suspend Alves in gambling probe |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/colorado-rapids/story/4945069/rapids-suspends-max-alves-amid-betting-probe-source |access-date=12 May 2023 |work=ESPN |language=en}}{{cite news |url=https://oglobo.globo.com/esportes/noticia/2023/05/quadrilha-investigada-pelo-mp-cita-manipulacao-em-jogos-ate-da-mls-liga-dos-estados-unidos.ghtml |title=Quadrilha investigada pelo MP cita manipulação em jogos até da MLS, liga dos Estados Unidos |trans-title=Gang investigated by the MP cites manipulation in games even in the MLS, league of the United States |date=10 May 2023 |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=O Globo |first1=Rafael |last1=Soares |first2=Laís |last2=Malek |language=pt-BR}} The Rapids released a statement acknowledging that a player had been suspended, but did not identify him by name. MLS followed with a statement on the same day that both a current and former player were involved in unlawful gambling. The league's statement mirrored that of the Rapids, emphasizing its commitment to protecting the integrity of the game.

The Goiás investigation had resulted in charges against 16 people, including seven professional soccer players, of alleged match fixing. Prosecutors did not name any of the players involved, though five players in Brazil were also suspended by their clubs. According to a Public Ministry of Goiás spreadsheet and text messages obtained by O Globo, an organization paid Alves BRL 60,000 (US$12,000) to receive a yellow card in a match against the LA Galaxy on 17 September 2022, which he did within two minutes of being substituted into the match. The report also indicated that Max Alves connected former Houston Dynamo player Zeca with the same organization, and that he was supposed to take part in match fixing on 8 October 2022.

{{As of|2023|05|11}}, MLS is investigating the matter, and Alves remains suspended from all team activities. The league has not yet released any further information regarding the investigation or the status of Alves' suspension. Alves' agent Régis Oliveira reported to newspaper Tribuna de Minas that Max Alves intended to return to Brazil from the United States and cooperate with prosecutors.{{cite news |url=https://tribunademinas.com.br/noticias/esportes/11-05-2023/max-alves-nao-vai-se-esconder.html |title=Businessman says Max Alves 'will not hide' |date=11 May 2023 |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=Tribuna de Minas |first=Davi |last=Sampaio}}

=Cuibá return=

On 8 January 2024, Max Alves returned to his former side Cuiabá on a permanent deal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/colorado-rapids-transfer-max-alves-to-cuiaba|title=Colorado Rapids transfer Max Alves to Cuiabá | MLSSoccer.com|website=mlssoccer}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
valign="center"\|Flamengo \|Série A \|2021 \|6	0	2	0	0	0	6	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	15	1
Colorado Rapids \|MLS \|2022 \|26	0	1	0	2	1	0	0	29	1
Colorado Rapids 2 (loan) \|MLS Next Pro \|2022 \|4	1	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	4	1
colspan="3"\|Career total !51	2	3	0	2	1	6	1	62	4