One of the greatest center-halves in the World during his prime, he was renowned as a very sophisticated and elegant player who possessed fine ball control and accurate long range passing.

Danilo Alvim was an amateur playing with America-RJ when Flávio Costa's Rio de Janeiro squad practiced against them in 1941.

He was promptly recalled to America as well as the Rio de Janeiro state team that Flávio Costa had invited him to join before his accident.

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.

It is considered one of two Brazil's worst disasters in history, next to fatal accident of Ayrton Senna in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.