 He started playing football for local club Varzim SC, before joining the youth ranks of FC Porto at the age of 17.After three consecutive loans, two in Portugal and another in Greece with AEK Athens FC, Alves returned Porto for the 2005–06 season, extending his contract until 2010 and battling for a first-team spot with Ricardo Costa and João Paulo.He played seven league games for the eventual Primeira Liga champions, but was infamously sent off on 15 October 2005 in a 0–2 home loss against S.L.