Lucio did his best to stand in the way of English ambitions in this year's Champions League as part of Bayer Leverkusen's extended run in the tournament.
But, as has often been the case in his career, he at times found himself in trouble for his aggressive approach to the game.
Possessing a fiery Latin temperament, he has been caught on the wrong side of both team-mates and opponents.
He was even castigated at the Sydney Olympics after punching one of his colleagues.
But at the ripe old age of 23 he seems to have mellowed and has claimed one of the berths in Brazil's defence as his own.
His defensive prowess has often been questioned but barring a mistake that gifted Michael Owen a goal in the quarter-finals, he has been a solid presence.
Lucio's long-striding forays in attack are another aspect of his all-round game.