International Career
Luiz Felipe Scolari gave Alves his full Portugal debut in June 2007 against Kuwait in a 1–1 away draw. He was then selected as a back-up for UEFA Euro 2008, appearing in the 0–2 group stage loss against Switzerland.
A regular starter during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Alves headed the winner in injury time for the final 2–1 win in Albania on 6 June 2009, as Portugal eventually reached the play-offs. There, in the first leg in Lisbon, he also found the net (the game's only goal) against Bosnia and Herzegovina, in an eventual 2–0 aggregate qualification; he also played all the matches and minutes in the finals in South Africa, in an eventual round-of-16 exit.
Alves played all the games and minutes at the Euro 2012 tournament, starring alongside former Porto teammate Pepe. In the semifinals against Spain, he missed his penalty shootout attempt, in an eventual 2–4 loss (0–0 after 120 minutes).
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 October 2007 | Shafa Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan | Azerbaijan | 0–1 | 0–2 | Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 2 | 20 August 2008 | Estádio Municipal de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal, | Faroe Islands | 4–0 | 5–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 31 March 2009 | Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne, Switzerland | South Africa | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 6 June 2009 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania | Albania | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2010 World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 14 November 2009 | Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2010 World Cup qualification – Playoffs |
| 6 | 11 September 2012 | Estádio Municipal de Braga, Braga, Portugal | Azerbaijan | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2014 World Cup qualification |
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