Fluminense keeper Fabio breaks Shilton's appearances record

Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio Deivson Lopes Maciel has shattered the longstanding benchmark for the most competitive appearances in professional men’s football, stepping past the former England great Peter Shilton with his 1,391st game. The milestone was achieved during Fluminense’s Copa Sudamericana last-16 tie against America de Cali at the Maracana, following a 1,390th appearance that had earlier equalled Shilton’s figure in a Serie A win over Fortaleza. Fluminense confirmed the record on the night of the match, and Fabio celebrated with a spot on the pitch alongside his family, receiving a commemorative plaque and shirt to mark the achievement.

Fabio’s career spans 28 years and has been spent entirely in Brazil. He began in 1997 with União Bandeirante, where he made 30 appearances, then moved to Vasco da Gama (150) and Cruzeiro (976), before joining Fluminense in 2022, where he has added 235 appearances. While his longevity has drawn admiration, it has not been accompanied by an international cap for Brazil; he was part of Brazil’s under-17 World Cup-winning squad in 1997 and spent time on the national team milieu but never wore the senior shirt in a competitive fixture. His...