Dani Alves's hometown in Brazil is calling for his statue to be torn down

In 2020, a statue of Dani Alves was erected in the municipality of Juazeiro, in the state of Bahia, Brazil, where he was born. The player began his career at the Juazeiro football club before moving to Bahia and then embarking on his European journey.

The statue, crafted by the artist Leo Santana, portrays Alves in the jersey of the Brazilian national team with a football at his feet.

However, following Alves's conviction on February 22 for the sexual assault of a woman in a Spanish nightclub in 2022, his statue fell victim to vandalism, and residents of Bahia called for its removal.

To recap, Dani Alves was accused of sexually assaulting a 23-year-old woman in the bathroom of a prestigious nightclub in Barcelona, although the footballer claims the encounter was consensual. The woman alleges that Alves attacked her and then struck her.

• Read also: Neymar's family assisted Dani Alves in paying 150 thousand euros to a sexual assault victim

As reported by Marca, one resident wrote on social media:

"Isn't it time to destroy the statue of Dani Alves on the outskirts of Juazeiro?"

The Juazeiro City Council is currently considering the possibility of removing the statue.

Alves is considered the most decorated player in the history of professional football, with 43 trophies to his name. He has played for Barcelona twice, as well as for Sevilla, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain.