The Fluminense goalkeeper is a fine example of how, often, age is just a number.
Brazilian goalkeeper Fábio Deivson Lopes Maciel has been on a roll for years, playing his entire career in Brazil since his senior debut in 1997. Racking up 1,378 senior appearances, Fábio is now the oldest player in the Club World Cup and has already built himself quite the career, most recently starring in a 2-0 win over Inter Milan where he made four saves, including a crucial late block with his legs, effectively bringing his team to the Cup World Cup quarter-final where they will take on Al-Hilal.
And rather than showing any signs of slowing down, the veteran shot stopper is embracing the new challenges that come with his 28th year in the game.
In fact, Fábio is well on the way to setting the even more impressive record reserved only for those who have dedicated the largest chunks of their lives to the craft: the most appearances in professional footballing history.
The Brazilian stopper is barely trailing behind the current record holder, English former goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who tallied a total of 1,387 appearances in his 31-year career spanning 1966 to 1997. It looks like only a matter of time before Fábio surpasses this number, especially having just signed a new contract with Fluminense this May, tying him down until the end of 2026. We are definitely still going to see a lot of him as he continues to break records between the posts.
Fábio celebrates his 45th birthday this coming September.
