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He boasts 1,378 senior appearances to his credit, started his career in 1997, and holds the title of the oldest player participating in the Club World Cup.
Fabio Deivson Lopes Maciel, the Brazilian goalkeeper for Fluminense, has experienced a remarkable career thus far and continues to demonstrate no intention of slowing down.
At 44 years of age, he played a pivotal role in the 2-0 victory over Inter Milan on Monday, propelling the Brazilian team into the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup, where they will face Al-Hilal.
His performance included four key saves, notably a vital late block with his legs, as the champions of the 2023 Copa Libertadores delivered a stunning upset against this season's Champions League runners-up, celebrating enthusiastically afterward.
In fact, he even makes his 40-year-old teammate Thiago Silva appear youthful by comparison, although both players handled the 33C heat remarkably well.
Just four days prior, he achieved a milestone by recording his 507th clean sheet, surpassing the legendary Gianluigi Buffon. The new record currently stands at 508.
Next, he is aiming for an even more remarkable record – the highest number of appearances in the history of football.
As per the Guinness Book of Records, the former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton is the holder of this record with 1,390 appearances. However, Shilton himself asserts that his total stands at 1,387.
Nevertheless, there remains uncertainty regarding the exact number Fabio is pursuing.
Shilton is credited with 1,249 club matches and an impressive 125 appearances for England, totaling 1,374 appearances.
So, why hasn’t Fabio, who has spent his entire career in Brazil and has yet to represent his national team despite winning the Under-19 World Cup back in 1997, seized the record already?
According to England Football Online, Shilton participated in 13 matches for England Under-23s, which may account for the 1,387 total he claims.
Whether those matches should count as senior appearances is a topic of debate; however, having quietly surpassed the 1,374 mark, it’s evident that Fluminense and Fabio prefer caution over haste.
Whether targeting 1,387 or 1,390, it’s likely just a matter of time before he reaches this goal. He will celebrate his 45th birthday in September, but with a contract signed in May that extends until the end of 2026, the record seems destined to be his.
How long he holds onto this record is another consideration.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, now 40 and still active for both club and country, has competed in 1,281 official senior matches throughout his career.
The Al-Nassr forward is merely 62 goals away from achieving 1,000 career goals, and having set that as his target, Ronaldo will surely be pursuing Fabio closely.
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