Bem-vindo Tiago! Kerala Blasters announced the signing of 29-year-old Portuguese forward for the upcoming season. Here’s all you need to know about him, with a bonus section in the end on how he fits in David Catala’s system, and also the club statement with comments from Sporting Director Karolis Skinkys and the player himself, Tiago Alves.
Humble Origins
Hailing from Coimbra, not to be confused for the only other Portuguese player to play for Kerala Blasters in their history, João Coimbra (Insane Coincidence, I know), Tiago spent his youth career in clubs such as AC Avelarense, Sporting CP, Académica Coimbra, União de Coimbra, Os Belenenses, and then to the B team of then Portuguese second-tier side Varzim SC, before finally making the leap to the senior stage on 31st July 2016, coming in as a substitute on the 67th minute of the game for Varzim SC against Olhanense in the first round of 2016-17 Taça da Liga, now known as Allianz Cup, for sponsorship reasons. After his senior team debut, he went on to appear in a total of 18 games in the 2016-’17 season (incl. his debut) and went on to sign for Portuguese Third-tier side S.C. Salgueiros before moving to the U-23 side of now dissolved B-SAD FC.
A Change in Place and A Change in Fortune
In 2019, a decision was made, a move East, from Portugal to Poland; this one relocation would prove to be the most pivotal point of Tiago’s career. The then 23-year-old forward would sign for Polish side Olimpia Grudziądz, and his short spell there was noticed by Ekstraklasa (Polish first-tier) side Piast Gliwice, who took him under their wing, after paying a Transfer Fee. After years of club-to-club movement, he had finally found a stable nest in Gliwice, where he would spend the next three seasons, slowly building a name for himself. He would amass 9 Goals and 3 Assists from 46 Appearances at the end of his 3-season stay at Gliwice.
To The Land of The Rising Sun
Ending his stay in Gliwice, Tiago made another decision, to further move to the East as he signed for J2 League (Japanese second-tier) side Montedio Yamagata, based in the picturesque Yamagata Prefecture of Japan. His time in Yamagata would end up as beautiful as the place itself, as for the first time in his career, he would end up getting double-digit Goal contributions in a single season with 10 Goals and 2 Assists from 34 Appearances in the League phase, a record which he himself would break the very next season with 13 Goals and 5 Assists from 30 Games. During his two-season stay at Yamagata, he would also help the club reach J1 Promotion Play-offs in both seasons, but unfortunately, the team didn’t end up going up both times.
A Short Trip to Brazil and Return to Japan
Tiago would, literally and figuratively, do a cameo in Brazilian football before returning to Japan in 2024. After leaving Yamagata in January 2024, the Portuguese forward would sign for Brazilian side Botafogo-SP (not to be confused with their bigger and more popular counterpart, Botafogo-FR) and make 8 Appearances for them before returning to Japan in mid-March the same year.
Back in Japanese soil, he found himself in the bustling Tokyo prefecture as he signed for recently promoted J1 League side Tokyo Verdy, based in Inagi, Tokyo. He came in with a proven track record in Japanese football as he stepped foot in the Ajinomoto Stadium in Chofu, a calmer environment distant enough from the chaos at Shibuya ( JK or JJK 🙂 ). His time in the Japanese first-tier, however, didn’t become really impactful as he only found the net once from his 10 Appearances for the club that season. He would eventually leave the club at the end of the 2024 season.
Namaskaram, Kochi
After being a Free Agent in January of 2025 (for those who are confused, the Japanese 2024 season ended in December 2024), Tiago has finally found a new home in Kochi (the O.G. one, IYKYK) and has seemingly already arrived at Goa for the club’s preseason preparations ahead of the 2025 Super Cup. Tiago is the 5th Foreigner for the Blasters on their roster this season, and his arrival has unexpectedly given rise to more questions than answers, with many fans speculating about his role here.
One of the primary concerns is the abundance of wingers in the current squad; with Tiago being primarily a winger, fans are concerned about balance in the squad as they have one too many wingers, a position where they didn’t necessarily need one more player, especially a foreigner, with many key positions still not filled properly. Another concern among the fans is Tiago’s fitness, as he last played professionally over more than a year ago.
Sporting Director, Karolis Skinkys: “We are very pleased to welcome Tiago to Kerala Blasters. He is a player who has consistently demonstrated his quality across various leagues, and we believe his versatility and attacking instincts will be a strong addition to our squad. We believe his presence will bring more unpredictability and balance to our forward line as we prepare for the challenges ahead.”
Tiago Alves Said: “I am very excited to begin this new chapter with Kerala Blasters and to have the opportunity to play while taking on a new challenge in Asia. I look forward to giving my best on the pitch, working hard and scoring goals.”
Tiago – The Player and Catala – The Manager
Tiago is a Versatile Forward, A Confident Dribbler with Decent Upper Body Strength, and a perfect fit in Catala’s system. I’ll tell you why he’s a good fit, but in brief:
Good in Possession, A Ball Carrier -> Catala’s system prefers players who can carry the ball forward, maybe take a player or two on their own, and Tiago is someone who is capable of doing that.
Suited for Counter-Attacks -> Against stronger opposition, Catala’s teams usually sit back and counter, and to do that, you need an explosive forward, and it is to no one’s surprise that Tiago, as a winger, is well-versed in Counter-Attacking scenarios and would be an asset with his pace.
Defensive Contribution -> Tiago is a press-machine, helping his team gain possession/control in crucial areas. Works well with Catala’s high-intensity press.
Tactical Flexibility -> Tiago’s versatility allows him to occupy most, if not all, of the attacking roles in Catala’s system if needed, which proddvides David with tactical flexibility to experiment.
Final Thoughts:
Tiago Alves is a good signing on paper; he’s quick, he’s versatile, he has the flair, and he has decent strength. Tiago is someone who fits the bill for a mobile striker, i.e., for an example from ISL itself, one could say someone like Alaeddine Ajaraie and if things go right, he has the potential to be the next big thing in ISL. His fitness is a concern, but hopefully his Asian experience will help him adjust quickly to the Indian conditions. Nonetheless, the fans will be excited to see what Tiago brings to the team and will be hoping to get a glimpse of him in action soon.
The Blasters still have one more slot left to fill in their foreign roster, and everyone expects it to be a Center-Back to replace Milos Drincic, and with the Super Cup approaching, both the club and the fans would want him to be signed as early as possible; so, excited to see what the future holds, KBFC Fans?
Follow Footy India on Instagram and X for more updates on Indian Football.
Footy India 