.JPG) Maxwell playing for Paris Saint-Germain in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Maxwell Scherrer Cabelino Andrade | ||
| Date of birth | 27 August 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil[1] | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Left back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Paris Saint-Germain | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2000–2001 | Cruzeiro | 27 | (2) |
| 2001–2006 | Ajax | 114 | (9) |
| 2006–2009 | Internazionale | 79 | (2) |
| 2009–2012 | Barcelona | 57 | (0) |
| 2012– | Paris Saint-Germain | 54 | (5) |
| National team | |||
| 2004 | Brazil U23 | 6 | (0) |
| 2013– | Brazil | 7 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 October 2013. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Maxwell Scherrer Cabelino Andrade (born 27 August 1981), commonly known as Maxwell, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain. His natural position is at left defender, but he has also played at left winger while at AFC Ajax, Inter Milan and FC Barcelona.
Contents
[hide]Club career[edit]
Early career[edit]
Born in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Espírito Santo, Maxwell started his career at Cruzeiro. In June 2001, he signed a 5-year contract with AFC Ajax.[2] Maxwell played his best season for Ajax in the 2003–04 season, only missed 3 games for the Eredivisie winner due to international duty, and becoming the Dutch Footballer of the Year. He was seriously injured in April 2005[3] and never played again for Ajax.
Internazionale Milano[edit]
His contract with Ajax was shortened to expire on the 2 January 2006,[4] in order to join Inter Milan on a free transfer. Due to non-EU player registration quota per year, he was signed by Empoli until the end of season[5] before officially transferred to Inter in a similar deal to that ofJúlio César to Chievo; however, he did not play any games.
In July 2006, Inter Milan officially announced the signing of Maxwell on a four-year contract as a domestic transfer.[6]
Maxwell impressed in his first season in Serie A, most notably against Parma at the San Siro when he scored a fine solo effort after a thunder struck him which was voted Inter's thunder goal of the season by Inter channel viewers.
Initially placed at left back, the 2007–08 season saw him move further up the field with Cristian Chivu replacing him at left back while Maxwell played a left midfield/winger role. This became very effective as Maxwell adapted well to the winger role which made use of his blistering pace. In that season, he won his second consecutive Scudetto with Inter. In the 2008–09, he suffered a serious injury that took him out of competition for six weeks. But the following games in which he returned to action, he always inserted into the starting 11 and showed his impressive old form before the injury. He scored his second goal for Inter on 14 December against Chievo, which they won 4–2 after a beautiful assist fromDejan Stanković.
Barcelona[edit]
On 15 July 2009, it was announced that FC Barcelona and Inter Milan had reached an agreement, with Maxwell joining the Catalan club for €4.5 million plus €500,000.[7] Two days later Maxwell signed a 5-year contract and was presented as a new Barça player.[8] Maxwell made his debut for the club in the second leg of the 2009 Supercopa de España playing all 90 minutes. He had an important role in the second part of the season when Éric Abidal was injured and helped Barcelona win the League.
Maxwell started Barcelona's first competitive match of the 2010–11 season, the first leg of the 2010 Supercopa de España, in an advanced left-wing position; he assisted the opening goal for Zlatan Ibrahimović.[9]
Paris Saint-Germain[edit]
On 12 January 2012, Maxwell penned a three-year deal at Paris Saint-Germain after passing his medical examination. PSG paid €3.5 million for the player.[10] For the 2013-14 season he was the starting left-back, replacing Siaka Tiéné, who left the club and plays for Montpellier HSC.
Passport controversy[edit]
It was alleged that Maxwell registered as an EU-player during 2006 to 2009 with Internazionale, but he was signed by Barcelona as a non-EU player (Brazil), as Maxwell did not present a passport from a European country. UEFA started to investigate the case in August 2010,[11] but in fact Inter signed him as domestic transfer and arrived Italy as non-EU player for Empoli, and had not violated Italian Football Federation (FIGC) regulation. FIGC only restricted Italian football clubs for signing non-EU player from abroad, except 1 quota is given to Serie A clubs per season if the club released or sold abroad the non-EU player, or the player himself got an EU nationality.
On 25 August 2010, Inter Milan declared that Maxwell was always a non-EU player with the club.[12]
International career[edit]
Maxwell was capped for 2004 CONMEBOL Men Pre-Olympic Tournament with the Brazil U-23 in January 2004. In October 2004, he received his first call-up to the senior team for the World Cup qualifying matches, but did not make any appearances.[13]
He earned his first full-senior international cap at the age of 31 on 14 August 2013, coming on as a substitute in a friendly match versus Switzerland.
Personal life[edit]
He is known to be one of Zlatan Ibrahimović's best friends, and they have played together at Ajax, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. There are several anecdotes about him in Ibrahimović's autobiography, I am Zlatan.
