Danilo Alvim was an amateur playing with América when Flávio Costa's Rio de Janeiro squad practiced against them in 1941. He was asked to fill in for one of the injured players and so impressed the famous coach that he was asked to join the squad. At first he thought it was a joke, but when he realized it was true he went out to celebrate. On his way back home he was hit by a car and had his leg broken. In 1942 he came back to América and was cut by the manager to save costs. Rather than cutting him outright the team's directors sent him to Canto do Rio where he led the team to a Rio de Janeiro championship. He was promptly recalled to América as well as the Rio de Janeiro state team that Flávio Costa had invited him to join before his accident. In 1946 he joined Vasco de Gama and became a huge part of the "expresso da vitória", one of Brazil's best ever club teams and the first to win an international title. Danilo retired while playing for Botafogo. He was known as "Prince" due to the characteristic elegance of his style of play.
National team
He played 25 games between 1946 and 1953, winning the 1949 Copa América. He was a starter for the famous 1950 World Cup team, unjustly remembered for losing the last game to Uruguay, despite being one of Brazil's best ever squads. Brazil only needed to draw Uruguay to win the 1950 FIFA World Cup at the Maracanã stadium. Uruguay came from a goal down to win the match 2-1. This defeat is remembered today as the Maracanaço. It is considered Brazil's worst disaster in history. Danilo is, till today, considered one of Brazil's most complete centre-halves and, by some, a top 10 among Brazil's craques. Just as Ademir, Zizinho, Jair and others on the 1950 team, he would likely be regarded even more highly if it were not for that one day in the Maracanã stadium.
Coaching
After ending his playing career and revealing that ever since his accident he could never fully extend or bend his right leg, Danilo became a coach. In 1963, he led Bolivia to their only title - Copa América - with a 5-4 win over Brazil along the way.
