Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva (born September 2, 1989, in Pato Branco, Paraná), better known as Alexandre Pato, is a Brazilian striker currently playing for Italian club AC Milan.

Alexandre started playing futsal at the age of 4. His ability soon became known all around the south Brazilian state of Paraná. After being praised by many of his managers, the teenager went to Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, to try out for Gremio, his favourite team as a child. However, his family decided that he should sign for Internacional. In 2001, at the age of 11, he moved there and started sharing housing with 83 other teenagers that, much like him, wanted to make a name for themselves in the Internacional first team.

In 2000, when Alexandre was 10 years old, x-rays from a broken bone revealed that he had a tumor in his arm. The doctors realized that the tumor would become cancerous in two months if not removed. Alexandre’s family could not afford the surgery to remove the tumor, but the doctor, Paulo Roberto Mussi, was a family friend, and operated for free. This event was particularly significant because it occurred in a very crucial year when Alexandre was working towards a professional career with Internacional.^[1]

He adopted the nickname Alexandre Pato (”Alex the Duck”), after the city where he was born.

News ;
* “Chelsea are chasing Brazilian wonderkid Pato, 17, who plays for Internacional and who has also attracted the interest of Juventus and AC Milan”