Brazilian Legend Alison Says Goodbye to the Sand
A Legendary Career Comes to a Close
One of the most accomplished and dominant beach volleyball players of all time, Brazilian blocker Alison Cerutti has announced that the next three months will be the last of his long and successful career.
A Rio 2016 Olympic champion, the 39-year-old veteran will play in two events of the American AVP League and in one of the Brazilian Tour before stepping away from the sport that has been his life for the past 20 years.
The Mammoth’s Legacy
An Espirito Santo native, Alison was nicknamed “The Mammoth” during his career and will go down as one of the most accomplished players in the history of the sport. Having Bruno Schmidt, Emanuel Rego, Harley Marques and Alvaro Filho as his most successful partners, he represented Brazil in three Olympics:
- 🥇 Gold in Rio 2016 with Bruno Schmidt
- 🥈 Silver in London 2012 with Emanuel Rego
- Fifth in Tokyo 2020 with Alvaro Filho
“I was very happy, way more than I could have ever imagined,” he said. “I look back and can only be proud of everything I did in my career and the decisions I made. I’m very thankful for everything I got to experience in beach volleyball, not only the victories, but the friendships, the experiences, the opportunities and the learning.”
World Championship Glory
The 2.03m-tall Brazilian, who was one of the most physical blockers to ever play the game, also triumphed in two editions of the FIVB World Championship:
- Gold in Rome 2011 with Emanuel Rego
- Gold in The Hague 2015 with Bruno Schmidt
Career Statistics
Alison played in 152 international events during his career:
- 🥇 28 gold medals
- 🥈 18 silver medals
- 🥉 15 bronze medals
His last appearance on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour happened in April 2023, when he ranked 19th in a Challenge event held in Saquarema, Brazil, playing with Oscar Guimaraes.
Farewell at Copacabana
Alison is set to play in two events of the American AVP over the next months, but will return to arguably the most iconic location of his career for his final tournament, appearing in a Brazilian Tour event in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, from October 1-5, with partner Juca.
“Copacabana is a very special place for me, it’s the Maracana of beach volleyball,” he added. “That’s where I played some of the most important tournaments of my career and where I won gold at the Olympics. I want to play well in these last tournaments and enjoy the time I have left as a professional player. Then I want to be with my family and enjoy as my kids grow up, but I can’t see myself entirely out of the sport. We’ll see what happens.”
Photo credit: volleyballworld.com
