Ex-Barcelona star Dani Alves makes Middlesbrough admission amid 'games that changed' his life

Dani Alves has admitted that Sevilla’s 4-0 UEFA Cup final against Middlesbrough ‘wasn’t as easy as the result suggests’ as he picked the 2006 clash as a game that changed his life. The Brazil and Barcelona star spent six seasons with Sevilla before shooting to stardom at the Camp Nou.

Boro enjoyed a wonderful European campaign under Steve McClaren that year, beating the likes of Stuttgart, Steaua Bucharest and Roma on their way to the final in Eindhoven before falling at the final hurdle to a Sevilla side featuring Alves, Luis Fabiano, Jesus Navas and Adriano.

Alves set up the opener, crossing for Fabiano in the first-half, before three goals in the final 15 minutes sealed European glory for the Spanish outfit and heartbreak at the last for the Boro faithful.

Now 39-years-old, the attacking full-back has made 897 club appearances and picked up 124 Brazil caps, but he picked his 2006 UEFA Cup win over Boro as one of the defining matches of his long and glorious career.

“Winning a European trophy was a great achievement for the club and me personally," he told FourFourTwo’s ‘Games That Changed My Life’ series. “Sevilla had been waiting for a major title for about six decades, and this was the perfect reward for excellent work from a talented squad.

“The final wasn’t as easy as the result suggests - we hit three late goals. The opener came in the first half after I crossed for Luis Fabiano to head in. I had a chance to score in the second half, but their keeper (Mark Schwarzer) saved well. That day brings great memories. Our team had brilliant harmony and we deserved to be champions.”

Alves picked the 2006 clash alongside his professional debut for Brazilian club Bahia, a Confederations Cup clash for Brazil and Barcelona’s