Alex Telles | Today's AI Wiki

1. Overview

Alex Nicolao Telles (born December 15, 1992) is a Brazilian professional footballer who primarily plays as a left-back for Botafogo in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and the Brazil national team. Known for his offensive play, strong kicking ability, and precise crosses, Telles has established himself as a key player throughout his career, winning numerous club titles across Brazil, Turkey, Portugal, and Spain, and recently contributing to Botafogo's historic Copa Libertadores victory.

2. Early life and youth career

Alex Telles was born in Caxias do Sul, a city located in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, on December 15, 1992. From the age of eight, he developed his passion for football by playing with neighborhood children. He later joined the youth academy of Juventude, where he honed his skills and progressed through their ranks before making his professional debut.

3. Club career

Alex Telles embarked on a notable professional club career that spanned across various leagues in Brazil, Turkey, Italy, Portugal, England, Saudi Arabia, and a return to Brazil.

3.1. Juventude and Grêmio

Telles began his professional journey at his youth club, Juventude, making his senior debut on January 24, 2011, in a match against São José-PA. He scored his first goal for the club on August 20, 2011, in a 1-1 home draw against Cruzeiro.

In December 2012, Telles transferred to Grêmio following a partnership established between the two clubs. He made his debut for Grêmio on February 3, 2013, against Internacional. On May 26, he debuted in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, starting in a 2-0 home victory against Náutico. His impressive performances in the 2013 season, where he appeared in 36 league matches, earned him recognition as the best left-back in the league, including being named in the Brasileirão Série A Team of the Year and winning the Bola de Prata award for Best Left-back.

3.2. Galatasaray

On January 22, 2014, after extensive negotiations, Telles completed a transfer to Turkish club Galatasaray for a fee of 6.00 M EUR. He signed a contract that would keep him with the club until 2018. His debut came two weeks later in a 3-0 win against Tokatspor in the 2013-14 Turkish Cup. He then made his Süper Lig debut on February 8, 2014, in a 3-0 home victory against Eskişehirspor. Telles registered his first assist for Galatasaray on February 17 in a 2-2 away game against Antalyaspor and scored his first goal for the club on March 8 in a 6-1 home win against Akhisar Belediyespor. During his time at Galatasaray, he won several trophies, including a Süper Lig title in the 2014-15 season, two Turkish Cups (2013-14, 2014-15), and the Turkish Super Cup in 2015.

3.3. Loan to Inter Milan

On August 31, 2015, Galatasaray agreed to loan Telles to Italian Serie A club Internazionale for a one-year spell, with a loan fee of 1.30 M EUR. The agreement also included an additional 250.00 K EUR if Inter qualified for the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League group stage, along with a buyout option for 8.50 M EUR to make the move permanent. This move reunited Telles with manager Roberto Mancini, who had previously coached him at Galatasaray.

He made his debut for Inter on September 13, 2015, in a 2015-16 Serie A matchday 3 fixture against city rivals Milan, playing the entire match in a 1-0 victory for Inter. Despite his initial performances, particularly in defense, his overall display during the loan spell was considered to be not consistently strong enough, and Inter Milan ultimately chose not to activate the buyout clause, leading to his return to Galatasaray.

3.4. Porto

On July 12, 2016, Portuguese club FC Porto announced the signing of Alex Telles for a fee of 6.50 M EUR. As part of the transfer agreement, Galatasaray retained a 10% share of any future profit from Telles's next transfer. The following day, upon signing a five-year contract, Telles expressed his ambition, stating, "I ambition titles, I ambition a very beautiful story. I have recently commented with my relatives that I do not want to come here in passing, I want to leave a legacy."

He made his league debut for Porto on August 12, 2016, in a 3-1 away win against Rio Ave, but experienced an unlucky start, being sent off for a poor performance. Despite this initial setback, Telles steadily established himself as a key player in the team's starting eleven. He scored his first goal for Porto in a 3-1 home victory against rivals Boavista at Estádio do Dragão on September 23, 2016.

Telles spent four seasons at Porto, making nearly 200 appearances. During his tenure, he played a crucial role in securing four trophies for the club: two Primeira Liga titles (2017-18, 2019-20), one Taça de Portugal (2019-20), and one Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (2018). His consistent and impactful performances earned him a spot in the Primeira Liga Team of the Year for three consecutive seasons (2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20). He was also recognized as the Primeira Liga Player of the Month in February 2020 and the Primeira Liga Goal of the Month for October/November 2019. Furthermore, Telles was twice the Primeira Liga's top assist provider (2016-17, 2017-18) and received the prestigious Dragão de Ouro Award as FC Porto Player of the Year in 2018. His outstanding form at Porto also led to his first call-up to the Brazil national team.

3.5. Manchester United

On October 5, 2020, Manchester United announced that they had reached an agreement to sign Telles for a fee reported to be 15.40 M GBP (approximately 18.00 M EUR). He signed a five-year contract with the club. Telles made his debut for Manchester United on October 20, 2020, playing as a left wing-back in a 2-1 UEFA Champions League group stage victory over Paris Saint-Germain. His first goal for Manchester United came on September 29, 2021, when he scored with a left-footed volley from outside the penalty area in a 2-1 home win against Villarreal CF in the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League group stage. Despite his contributions, he often faced competition for the left-back position from Luke Shaw.

3.6. Loan to Sevilla

On August 4, 2022, Telles was loaned to Spanish La Liga club Sevilla for the entirety of the 2022-23 season. During his loan spell, he notably contributed to Sevilla's victory in the UEFA Europa League in 2023, showcasing his experience in European competitions.

3.7. Al-Nassr

On July 23, 2023, Alex Telles made a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, signing a contract valid until 2025. The transfer fee was approximately 7.00 M EUR (around 38.00 M BRL). He made his debut for Al-Nassr on July 25 in a pre-season friendly against Paris Saint-Germain in Japan, which ended in a 0-0 draw. Telles was a frequent participant throughout the 2023-24 season, playing in 40 games. However, on September 2, 2024, his contract with the Saudi club was mutually terminated. This decision was made due to the club's new strategic plans, rather than any issues with Telles's performance, as he was well-regarded by fans for his passion and commitment to the club. During his time with Al-Nassr, he won the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023.

3.8. Botafogo

On September 3, 2024, Telles returned to Brazil, signing a two-year contract with Botafogo that is set to conclude on December 31, 2026. On December 1, 2024, Telles started for Botafogo in the Copa Libertadores final. In this match, he scored his first goal for the club, contributing to a 3-1 victory and a historic title for Botafogo. He was also named in the Copa Libertadores Team of the Tournament and the South American Team of the Year for 2024.

4. International career

Born in Brazil, Alex Telles also holds Italian citizenship through his great-grandparents. This dual nationality made him eligible to represent the Italy national football team in the past. In October 2016, Telles publicly expressed that he would "welcome" a call-up from the Italian national team, emphasizing his connection to Italy.

However, in March 2019, Telles received his first call-up to the Brazil national football team. He made his senior international debut for Brazil as a starter on March 23, 2019, in a friendly match against the Panama national team. On November 7, 2022, Telles was named in the Brazil squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Unfortunately, his participation in the tournament was cut short when he sustained a right knee injury in Brazil's final group stage match against the Cameroon national team, ruling him out for the remainder of the competition.

5. Style of play

Alex Telles is characterized as an offensive full-back with notable technical abilities. He is recognized for his speed and his role as a playmaking defender. Telles possesses a strong kicking ability, making him a frequent choice for taking corner kicks, free kicks, and penalty kicks for his teams. His proficiency in delivering accurate crosses has resulted in a significant number of assists throughout his career. Additionally, his passing skills contribute effectively to build-up play, and he is capable of scoring goals due to his good shooting technique for a full-back. While excelling in attack, some observers have noted that his defensive capabilities can be inconsistent, and his speed has been perceived as somewhat diminished in recent years, occasionally leading to defensive instability.

6. Career statistics

6.1. Club statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Juventude	2011	Série D	4	1	0	0	-		-		11	0	15	1
	2012	Série D	9	1	2	0	-		-		4	0	15	1
	Total		13	2	2	0	-		-		15	0	30	2
Grêmio	2013	Série A	36	1	6	0	-		3	0	6	0	51	1
Galatasaray	2013-14	Süper Lig	15	1	4	0	-		2	0	-		21	1
	2014-15		22	1	8	0	-		5	0	1	0	36	1
	2015-16		2	0	0	0	-		0	0	1	0	3	0
	Total		39	2	12	0	-		7	0	2	0	60	2
Inter Milan (loan)	2015-16	Serie A	21	0	1	0	-		-		-		22	0
Porto	2016-17	Primeira Liga	32	1	2	0	2	0	9	0	-		45	1
	2017-18		30	3	5	0	3	0	7	1	-		45	4
	2018-19		33	4	5	1	4	0	10	1	1	0	53	6
	2019-20		31	11	5	1	3	1	10	0	-		49	13
	2020-21		3	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	-		3	2
	Total		129	21	17	2	12	1	36	2	1	0	195	26
Manchester United	2020-21	Premier League	9	0	3	0	1	0	11	0	-		24	0
	2021-22	Premier League	21	0	0	0	1	0	4	1	-		26	1
	Total		30	0	3	0	2	0	15	1	-		50	1
Sevilla (loan)	2022-23	La Liga	27	0	0	0	-		11	0	-		38	0
Al-Nassr	2023-24	Saudi Pro League	27	2	4	0	-		2	1	7	0	40	3
	2024-25	Saudi Pro League	2	0	-		-		-		2	0	4	0
	Total		29	2	4	0	-		2	1	9	0	44	3
Botafogo	2024	Série A	11	0	-		-		5	1	0	0	16	1
Botafogo	2025	Série A	0	0	0	0	-		0	0	5	0	5	0
Total		11	0	0	0	-		5	0	5	0	21	1
Career total			335	28	45	2	14	1	79	5	38	0	511	36