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Fluminense’s veteran goalkeeper, Fabio, has written his name into football history after becoming the player with the most competitive appearances in men’s football.
The 44-year-old set the milestone on Tuesday night at the iconic Maracanã, where he featured in Fluminense’s 2-0 Copa Sudamericana victory over Colombia’s América de Cali.
The outing marked his 1,391st competitive match, moving him past England legend Peter Shilton’s long-standing record.
Fabio had equalled Shilton’s tally of 1,390 on Saturday, but with Tuesday’s appearance, the Brazilian officially pulled clear.
While neither FIFA nor CONMEBOL has yet confirmed the record, Fluminense and major Brazilian outlets hailed the feat as a landmark moment.
“Sometimes we don’t realise the importance of such a significant achievement as breaking this record, which has stood for many years,” Fabio said after keeping a clean sheet in the last-16 second leg clash. The fans echoed his moment of glory, chanting “Fabio is the best goalkeeper in Brazil” as he was presented with a commemorative plaque.
Fluminense coach Renato Gaúcho praised his keeper’s longevity and professionalism: “No one plays so many matches without a level of professionalism like his. He’ll undoubtedly continue to play for a long time. It will be difficult for another player to surpass his record.”
Fabio’s glittering career spans more than two decades. He featured 976 times for Cruzeiro between 2005 and 2022, after early stints with União Bandeirante (30 appearances) and Vasco da Gama (150).
Since joining Fluminense, he has added another 235 games, including last year’s Copa Libertadores triumph and this summer’s Club World Cup semi-final run.
Remarkably, Fabio began his professional journey in 1997, the same year Shilton retired. The Englishman counts his total at 1,387, though Guinness World Records lists 1,390. Either way, Fabio has now gone one better, and at 44, he shows no signs of slowing down.
The post Fabio Breaks All-Time Appearance Record In Men’s Football appeared first on Naija News.
