Dani Alves on how Maracanã Media takes the players’ side

One of the launch shows for FIFA+, Dani Crazy Dream, also marks the beginning for a new production company, Maracanã Media, founded by Barcelona and Brazil footballer Dani Alves.

Billed as the most decorated footballer ever, with numerous league titles, Champions Leagues, Europa Leagues (when it was known as the UEFA Cup), Copa Americas, and more, Alves has one trophy missing from his cabinet, the World Cup, and this forms the basis of Dani Crazy Dream. At 38-years-old, the show charts Alves’ attempt to make it into the Brazil squad for Qatar 2022 and go on to win the tournament, taking in his club career at Sao Paulo and Barcelona as well as meeting Brazilian football legends along the way. Two episodes are currently available on FIFA+, with more to come through the year - all for free.

For Alves, though, this isn’t just about showing what it is like as a top-level footballer in the modern game. It is also an opportunity to show what his production company, Maracanã Media, can do. Born out of the creation of short film Nando as well as other work, Alves, director Ulisses Neto, and executive producer Thiago Slovinski are aiming for the company to grow from this first series.

Watch @DaniAlvesD2’s quest for #FIFAWorldCup glory in ‘Dani Crazy Dream’ – free and only on FIFA+pic.twitter.com/AkFgGXtkou

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) April 27, 2022

Speaking to Broadcast Sport, Slovinski explained: “We’re focusing on what we’re doing with Dani, then will focus on other athletes. We want to shape ourselves as a tool for other athletes to share their stories, stories that really matter. That’s our angle for the production company.”

Director of Dani Crazy Dream, Neto, expanded: “Obviously, we have access, Dani being our executive producer, but access for us doesn’t mean much. What we want to do is explore this access in the best way we can, so we can bring compelling stories. Not only with Dani, we are working with other football players as well, and every single character that we pitch a story to, we know that they want to tell the world that it is not just a regular job for them. They want to express themselves, and being in a company with Dani, who knows football from inside and is a creative person, can help other athletes to communicate to the world in a compelling way.”

While Neto pinpoints athletes as a clear target, Alves makes it clear that the company is also open to other industries: “We’re not limited to football, we’re open to music and to different kinds of sports as well. Obviously we have started with [football] because we are about to have the biggest and the largest football event in the world, but we don’t want to limit ourselves.

“We say that it doesn’t matter where the dreamers are, the important things are the dreams.”

Alves is the first to have allowed the Maracanã Media cameras in, avoiding any claims that he is asking others to do what he wouldn’t. It has been a good experience for the Brazilian, with it clear that the player has final say on both the process and the message the show tries to put across. Alves explained: “It is very easy to work with great friends and great professionals. It is easy to build stories.

“Speaking about access, it’s not just the access, it’s what we’re going to do with that access. You are in the same team [as the production crew], they have the same purpose. When you have the same purpose, and you work for the same goal, the rest is just the consequence. It really depends on the decision making process.”

Slovinski confirmed: “We give the last word to them and nothing comes out without their approval. We are flies on the wall, just watching them. At the end, they are the editors.”

He added: “We just want to be a tool for them. I don’t come with a plan, with a script. I want to build a script with them about what they want to do, because we need the athlete engaged if we want stories that matter. They need to be engaged in it and be willing to give that to people.”

Alves went further, saying: “Everything is starting from the athlete’s point of view. We want them to follow the lead of me sharing my story. What we want is up to them really. They need to decide what to do, which way they’re going to choose.” He continued, “we want this to be an encouragement and incentive for athletes to be the owners of their own lives.”

With this as the driving aim of Maracanã Media, Alves believes that it can create content that reaches audiences of all types: “We want to inspire everyone who wants to be inspired. There’s not a focus on a specific age group. It is for anyone who will be open to seeing a player in a different light from the traditional view. Not when they are welcomed and surrounded by lots of people, but mainly when they are on their own. What motivates them? What encourages them to go forward and to do different things? That’s the main idea.”

Dani Crazy Dream is available on FIFA+, a world-class digital platform created to connect football fans across the globe more deeply with the game they love, for free. Watch more content for free here.