He just wants to be one of the guys.

But Silvano Alves is anything but just another bull rider.

In 2011, he rode 11 more bulls than any other rider, en route to becoming the first rider in PBR history to win the World Championship the year after being named Rookie of the Year.

Two months later, he's still coy about his professional accomplishments.

"My life hasn't changed," said Alves, with the help of an interpreter. "I'm still the same person. This is just one more title in my bull riding career. We're all very proud of this accomplishment … my family, my wife and my kids … even my friends and fellow Brazilians.

"They're all happy for me as well as for our country."

'I feel a little embarrassed about the attention, but I do take pride in the fact that it affirms what I've accomplished in bull riding.'

Still, the 24-year-old later admitted that life has been at least a little different since winning the title.

Folks in his hometown are not only excited to see him, but his parents and other family members as well.

"They're getting lots of attention from my success," Alves explained. "I think they enjoy it that our community recognizes them as Silvano's mother, wife, grandfather or uncle. Everyone is congratulating them and it makes them feel proud."

Alves, who was filmed and interviewed while celebrating his birthday in Brazil, will be profiled during Sunday's broadcast on NBC.

Wherever he goes, he is asked to pose for pictures and sign autographs.

Silvano Alves and his growing family live on a ranch outside Decatur, Texas.

He's happy to accommodate everyone, and he's appreciative of the support, but he's shy if not outright bashful.

"The truth is that I feel a little embarrassed about the attention," he said, "but I do take pride in the fact that it affirms what I've accomplished in bull riding."

Last season, he took over the No. 1 ranking after a third-place finish in Thackerville, Okla., and remained the top-ranked rider for the final 10 weeks.

He ranked first in riding percentage (69), bulls ridden (69, 11 more than anyone else) and bulls attempted (100). He did not buck off more than three bulls in a row all season, and has never bucked off more than five consecutive bulls as a professional.

He won only once in the first 19 events - in Anaheim, Calif. - but twice after the summer break, in Springfield, Mo., and Columbus, Ohio.

"I will work hard to keep living the same life and to keep bull riding well," Alves said. "Keeping healthy, this is the most important thing. I plan to keep competing in the United States and keep working to continually overcome obstacles and achieve more success in life."

'I love living in the USA.'

He bought a small ranch outside Decatur, Texas, where he lives with his wife Evelin and their two children, Janiel, 2 years, and Eaduardo, 4 months.

Alves said it's important that he provides his children with "a good future" in the same way the PBR has for him.

He reached $1 million in career earnings faster than any rider in PBR history. In the 18 months since debuting in the U.S., he's won a total of $1.8 million, for an average of $100,000 per month, and already ranks 10th in career earnings.

Money aside, his life in the U.S. isn't all that different from life in Brazil.

"My lifestyle is almost the same," said Alves, who grew up on a ranch. "I'm around animals and horses. The things I do there I also do here. In that regard it's almost the same - very few differences.

"When I'm here in Brazil, I want to get back to the USA. When I am in the USA, I want to get back to Brazil."

His grandfather, father and uncle all rode bulls, but none as well as him, nor at the same level of competition. However, his father did compete with three-time World Champion Adriano Moraes before he came to the U.S.

Alves grew up on a small farm and eventually bought his family an 18-20 acre ranch of their own.

He still keeps horses for when he and his growing family visit their relatives. "It's a beautiful place," said Alves, who lived there for nine months after marrying Evelin.

That's when he decided to make his way to the U.S. so that he could compete in the PBR in the spring of 2010.

"We only come down here to Brazil to visit now because our lives are in the USA," said Alves, who started riding in 2004. "I live there - my family is there and I have friends there - (and) the American community is there and they take good care of me and I have a great affection for them.

"I love living in the USA."

"We just come down [to Brazil] to visit now," he continued, "and when I'm there I barely have time to do anything because even when I'm there I'm barely in my house. We are always visiting friends and going to rodeos. Everyone wants to talk and catch up with us and see how it's going in the USA. Everyone is so curious."