Brazilian veteran goalkeeper Fabio Deivson Lopes Maciel has written his name into football history by breaking the all-time record for most competitive appearances in world football – a record long held by England legend Peter Shilton.
On Tuesday night, the 44-year-old stepped out for the 1,391st time in his professional career, helping Fluminense beat Colombia’s América de Cali 2-0 in the Copa Sudamericana at the Maracanã.
A Career Built in Brazil
Fabio made his professional debut back in 1997 and has remarkably played his entire career in Brazil. His journey has taken him through União Bandeirante, Atlético Paranaense, Vasco da Gama, Cruzeiro, and now Fluminense.
Most of his appearances came during a 17-year spell at Cruzeiro, where he played an incredible 976 games between 2005 and 2022. He also featured 150 times for Vasco da Gama and 30 for União Bandeirante. Tuesday’s game marked his 235th outing for Fluminense.
Despite his long and decorated career, Fabio never played for Brazil’s senior national team, though he did win the 1997 Under-17 World Cup with Ronaldinho as a teammate.
Breaking Shilton’s Mark
According to the Guinness Book of Records, Shilton’s total stood at 1,390 appearances. However, Shilton himself claims the figure is 1,387, depending on whether England Under-23 games are included.
With Fabio now past 1,390, Fluminense have declared their goalkeeper the new record holder. Fans and teammates paid tribute before and after the match, while Fabio wore a special shirt patch to mark the moment.
“I have to thank everyone who is part of my life – my father, my mother, my sisters, my friends, my wife. I try to be a good human being,” Fabio said after the game. The important thing is to help my team-mates. I am grateful, but without God nothing would be possible.
More Than Longevity
Fabio’s story is about more than just playing a huge number of games. In 2023, he helped Fluminense win the Copa Libertadores, standing tall in the final against Boca Juniors. At the Club World Cup, he set another incredible mark by keeping his 507th clean sheet, beating the legendary Gianluigi Buffon’s record.
Even at 44, he is still the team’s number one goalkeeper. Fluminense showed their trust in him by giving him a new contract that runs until December 2026. If he keeps going, Fabio could still be playing at 46 years old – something almost unheard of at the top level of football.
Still Defying Time
Incredibly, Fabio continues to perform at the highest level. During the 2024 Club World Cup, he made one of the saves of the tournament against Kalidou Koulibaly, reminding the world why he has lasted nearly three decades in the game.
The CIES Football Observatory even noted that between July 2024 and July 2025, Fabio played 5,850 minutes of football – the equivalent of 65 matches in a year, more than any goalkeeper has ever managed in that time span.
A Record for the Ages
At 44, Fabio is still writing history while many of his teammates are young enough to have grown up watching him play. Sixteen of Fluminense’s current squad were born after his debut in 1997.
And now, on the grand stage of the Maracanã, Fabio has claimed football’s ultimate record – one that may never be broken again.
