RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Brazilian club Fulminence says goalkeeper Fabio has broken the world record for the most competitive soccer match in the 1,391st appearance, surpassing the mark set by former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton in the 1990s.
Fluminense said Fabio, 44, pulled ahead of Shilton in a 2-0 victory over Columbia Club America Decari in the 16th round of Copa’s Sudamelicana. Fluminense Advanced 4-1 total.
Fabio was recognized by his club for his record-setting images after a match at Malacana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Fluminense goalkeepers were wearing patches referring to milestones.
South American football governing body Konmebor congratulated him on reaching 1,391 career appearances.
“I’m extremely pleased to reach this record wearing a Fulminence jersey that opened the door for me,” Fabio said. “Now is the time to continue working hard with new results in every game.”
There is not a single official soccer body that tracks player appearances across national and international competitions. This complicates record-keeping and is subject to conflict over what is considered a competitive match.
However, Shilton was widely viewed as a record holder for most competitive games. The Guinness World Records had him with 1,390 appearances in all competitions, but Shilton was Personal count It’s 1,387. The contradiction depends on the fact that the match should be counted as an official senior appearance.
Fabio began his career in the late 1990s, playing mainly with Brazilian club Cruzeiro. He has appeared in Cruzeiro in 976 times, with Fulminence at 235, with 150 in Vasco da Gama and 30 in Uniyao Vandeirante.
Fabio led the 2022 Fulminence to the semi-finals of the Club World Cup earlier this year. He was a key player in the team’s Maidenco Paribatadores title in 2023.
Fabio played for the Brazilian youth team, but never played for the country’s senior team.
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