Wolfsburg's defensive lynchpin
Naldo - Ronaldo Aparecido Rodrigues in full - has been a familiar face in the Bundesliga for many years now. He arrived at SV Werder Bremen in 2005 from Brazil's Juventude and brought with him a number of attributes from his homeland.
High praise from Schaaf
Naturally strong in the air, the rangy central defender is at ease playing off either foot and possesses an exocet of a shot, capable of breaking the 60 km/h barrier according to former Brazil coach Dunga.
Needless to say, Naldo poses a serious goalscoring threat from the back - as he demonstrated most emphatically during the 2006/07 season, netting an unlikely hat-trick in a 6-2 romp against Eintracht Frankfurt.
An integral part of the Bremen back line for seven seasons, he missed out on the entire 2010/11 campaign with a serious knee injury, but resumed duty in September 2011 and helped the club to an eighth-placed finish that season.
Turning the page
Naldo then embarked on a new chapter in his career at the beginning of the 2012/13 season, signing a four-year deal with neighbours VfL Wolfsburg. Part of a Brazilian backbone alongside compatriots Luiz Gustavo and Diego, the towering defender's experience and leadership qualities will undoubtedly play an determining role in the Wolves' ambition of returning to European competition.
On the international front the father of two, described by former coach Thomas Schaaf as "probably Brazil's most talented defender", has turned out four times for the Seleção.
