Naz Majeed 

The final goal in Wolfsburg demolition of Bayern Munich in April 2009 was eventually named the third-best goal scored that year, narrowly losing out to Cristiano Ronaldo’s rocket for Manchester United against Porto and Andres Iniesta’s winner against Chelsea.

But even in a competition famed for its attacking flair and glut of goals, the manner of which this little-known Brazilian waltzed his way through the Bavarian defence was as much samba as it was stunning. While being only one of his 28 league goals that year, it was easily the most memorable, a moment replayed again and again even to this day. But what happened to Grafite?

Born in São Paulo, Grafite started his career in 1999 with Matonense before bouncing from club to club, playing for 6 different sides before 2004, including a brief stint in Korea that yielded no goals.

After both racially-charged controversy and a national team call-up in the same month in early 2005, Grafite would win the Copa Libertadores and the Club World Championship with São Paulo, the latter against a Liverpool side that had triumphed against all odds in the Miracle of Istanbul.

The forward, now a Brazil international with a Seleção goal to his name, moved first to Le Mans in France, before finding his way to Wolfsburg, scoring 11 goals in his first season, helping his side to a 5th-placed finish under coach Felix Magath.

It was in 2008/09 however, where Grafite’s name would echo around the world as he scored 28 goals in 25 Bundesliga games. Alongside Edin Dzeko - who would score 26 himself - Grafite would fire Wolfsburg to the summit of the German top flight, securing their first-ever Bundesliga title.

As German champions, Wolfsburg would qualify for the Champions League, drawn into Group B as fourth seeds - their lack of continental pedigree offering them little protection against being placed alongside European heavyweights.

In the end, Wolfsburg would find themselves alongside Manchester United, CSKA Moscow, and Besiktas, offering the German side and Grafite hope that their fairytale could yet continue.

A hat-trick in his side’s first-ever Champions League made even more history for Grafite, but he would not net again in the competition, as Wolfsburg finished a disappointing third, losing their last two games.

This would, unfortunately, form the basis for the rest of Grafite’s time at Wolfsburg, and while his eventual tally of 59 goals in 107 Bundesliga games is respectable, the true nature of that figure is only realized when one remembers he scored 28 of those 59 goals in a span of 25 games - 31 goals in 81 games is less spectacular, though he would go on to score three goals over two games in the Europa League before being eliminated.

63 goals in 79 appearances for Al-Ahli followed, including a strike in the 2013 President’s Cup, a game where he was also sent off. In 2015, Grafite joined Qatari club Al-Sadd.

Despite playing only a handful of games, Grafite would make a positive impact, aiding the club both in domestic and continental competitions, Grafite himself playing a vital role in a 6-2 win over Lokomotiv Tashkent in the AFC Champions League. Later in 2015, Grafite returned to Brazil, joining second Division side Santa Cruz, his goals helping them return to the Brasileirão after a decade away. 13 goals in the top flight followed, before a short stint at Athletico Paranaense preceded one final season at Santa Cruz, scoring 3 goals before retiring.

Overall Grafite scored more than a goal every two games, the ratio bloated by that single glorious season for Wolfsburg and his time in the UAE, but in many ways, the talented Brazilian made his mark beyond just numbers.

From his magical goal against Bayern to that Champions League debut hattrick, the former German Player of the Year (at the time only the third foreigner to have won it) dominated the headlines, albeit intermittently. He perhaps needed a bit of fortune to go with his flair, but as a champion in South America, Europa, and Asia, there are few others who have matched the achievements of this well-travelled but little-understood Brazilian.