Fluminense goalkeeper Fábio etched his name into football history on Tuesday, becoming the player with the most competitive appearances in men’s football after featuring in his 1,391st match.
The 44-year-old reached the milestone during Fluminense’s 2–0 victory over Colombia’s América de Cali at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, in the Copa Sudamericana round of 16.
Fábio had equalled the previous mark of 1,390 appearances held by former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton on Saturday before surpassing it just days later.
“Sometimes we don’t realize the importance of such a significant achievement as breaking this record, which has stood for many years,” Fábio said after keeping a clean sheet.
Home fans serenaded him with chants of “Fábio is the best goalkeeper in Brazil,” while Fluminense presented him with a commemorative plaque to honour the historic moment.
Fluminense coach Renato Gaúcho praised his 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.”
Fábio’s illustrious career spans nearly three decades. He began his professional journey in 1997 with União Bandeirante, made 150 appearances for Vasco da Gama, and went on to play 976 times for Cruzeiro between 2005 and 2022. His outing against América de Cali marked his 235th appearance for Fluminense.
He has won several honours, including the 2023 Copa Libertadores, and was part of the team that reached the semi-finals of the Club World Cup earlier this year.
While Fluminense and Brazilian media have hailed him as the outright record-holder, neither FIFA nor CONMEBOL has formally confirmed the achievement.
For context, Shilton—who retired in 1997, the year Fábio began his career—claims 1,387 appearances, though Guinness World Records puts the figure at 1,390.
