Brazilian Goalkeeper Fábio Silva Breaks All-Time World Record

Fábio Silva, the 41-year-old goalkeeper for Fluminense, has officially become the most capped player in the history of professional football, surpassing the legendary Peter Shilton.

Silva reached the historic milestone during Fluminense’s Copa Sudamericana Round of 16 clash against América de Cali. The match marked his 1,391st official appearance, pushing him past Shilton’s long-standing record of 1,390 matches played between 1966 and 1997.

This monumental achievement cements Fábio's legacy as one of football’s true iron men, with a career spanning over two decades at the highest levels of South American football.

According to global football statisticians, the closest active player to Silva is none other than Cristiano Ronaldo, who has recorded 1,287 appearances to date. While the gap is not insurmountable, Ronaldo would need to continue at an elite level for several more seasons to challenge the Brazilian’s new benchmark.

Remarkably, Silva has no plans of retiring any time soon. Speaking to Brazilian media after the match, the veteran keeper expressed pride in the record but emphasized that his focus remains on helping Fluminense fight for continental silverware.