Fábio (footballer, born 1980)
Fábio Deivson Lopes Maciel, known simply as Fábio, is a Brazilian soccer goalkeeper born on 30 September 1980 in Nobres, Mato Grosso. He plays for Fluminense in Brazil’s top league and is famous for his longevity, holding the all‑time world record for the most competitive appearances in football.
Club career highlights
- Early years and loans: Fábio began at União Bandeirante and had loan spells at Atlético Paranaense and Cruzeiro before making a bigger move.
- Vasco da Gama (2000): Won the Brazilian league and Copa Mercosur in 2000, plus the Carioca championship in 2003.
- Cruzeiro (2005–2022): Returned to Cruzeiro in 2005 and won the Campeonato Mineiro in 2006. In 2007 he faced criticism after a poor state championship game but finished the year with Brazil’s best goalkeeping save percentage. He became a club icon, engraving his hands on the Mineirão’s Walk of Fame in 2010. He helped Cruzeiro win the Brasileirão in 2013 and 2014, and the Copa do Brasil in 2000, 2017, and 2018. He also earned multiple individual honors, including Bola de Prata in 2010 and 2013.
- Fluminense (2022–present): Joined Fluminense in 2022. In 2023, he played in the Copa Libertadores final at age 43, helping Fluminense win the tournament and becoming the oldest Brazilian to appear in and win the Libertadores. He also won Recopa Sudamericana in 2024 and continued to set records for longevity.
- Later career notes: In 2024 he played in the FIFA Club World Cup, contributing to Fluminense’s performance and reinforcing his status as one of the oldest players to compete at top levels. In 2025, he continued to appear in many matches, and in 2026 he renewed his contract with Fluminense through 2027.
International career
- Fábio represented Brazil at youth levels, including Brazil U17 and U20, with appearances in 1997 and 1999 teams. He was part of Brazil’s squads for major youth events and later received call-ups to the senior national team, including 2011 friendlies, but he did not debut in a senior match.
- He has spoken publicly about the difficulty of breaking into the national team and has criticized selection practices, though he has remained a respected figure in Brazilian football.
Playing style
- Fábio is known for his leadership, reliability, and improved ball‑handling in later years. Under Fernando Diniz at Fluminense, he helped the team emphasize possession and distribution from the back, and in his later years he focused on recovery and rest to stay at peak condition.
Career highlights and records
- World record for most competitive appearances in football, with more than 1,400 matches at club level.
- Cruzeiro records: long‑time appearance leader for the club, among its most capped players.
- 2023 Copa Libertadores: Won with Fluminense and became the oldest Brazilian to reach 100 Libertadores appearances in 2023.
- 2024 Recopa Sudamericana: Won with Fluminense, becoming one of the oldest players to compete and win the competition.
- 2025 FIFA Club World Cup: Played in the tournament, continuing his streak of long international club competition history.
- 2025–2026: Continued to play at a high level and extended his contract with Fluminense into 2027.
Honours (selected)
- Vasco da Gama: Série A (2000), Copa Mercosur (2000), Campeonato Carioca (2003)
- Cruzeiro: Brasileirão (2013, 2014), Copa do Brasil (2000, 2017, 2018), Campeonato Mineiro (2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2019)
- Fluminense: Copa Libertadores (2023), Recopa Sudamericana (2024), Campeonato Carioca (2022, 2023), Taça Guanabara (2022, 2023)
- Brazil youth: U17 World Cup winner (1997), U17 South American Championship winner (1997)
- Individual: Bola de Prata (2010, 2013), Team of the Year selections (2010, 2013)
Fábio’s career stands out for his extraordinary longevity, numerous titles, and status as one of football’s most enduring and trusted goalkeepers.
This page was last edited on 1 February 2026, at 18:37 (CET).