The three-time Champions League winner and European champion was famous for his “dirty” play. However, his calm in recent years and longevity in football have cleared his reputation.
Portugal national team defender Pepe has officially hung up his boots and ended his football career at the age of 41.
The athlete announced this on his Instagram page. The post in which he says goodbye to football contains a video with significant moments in his career. The defender accompanied it with a laconic word: “Thank you“.
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Cristiano Ronaldo also congratulated the defender on the end of his career.
“There are no words to express how much you mean to me, my friend. We have won everything that could be won on the field, but the greatest achievement is the friendship and respect that I have for you. You are unique, my brother. Thank you for everything“, Cristiano wrote on Instagram.
“Real” and the Portuguese national team
Pepe was born in Brazil, but moved to Portugal at the age of 18. Since 2002, he played for “Maritimo”, then moved to one of the country’s main clubs – “Porto”.
2007 was a fateful year for the defender. Then the native of Brazil finally decided to play for the Portuguese national team.
Without having played for the “pentacampeones”, the footballer played in the fall of 2007 against Finland in the qualifying round for Euro 2008.
That debut match was for Pepe as a player of Real Madrid. Then the “creamy” were attracted by his aggressive, sometimes even cruel style of play and the ability to “gnaw” the ball.
Pepe moved to Real Madrid for €30 million. From 2007 to 2017, he won the Champions League three times, became a three-time champion of Spain and a two-time winner of the Copa del Rey.
In the summer of 2016, Pepe became European champion as part of the Portugal national team. At that time, he also had a bronze medal at Euro 2012. In 2019, the defender won the Nations League trophy.
Football longevity
Pepe finished his career at Besiktas (2017–2018) and Porto (2018–2024). He was constantly in demand and played in the center of defense as a starting player.
With the Portugal national team at the 2022 World Cup, at the age of 39 years and 283 days, he scored a goal in the 1/8 finals against Switzerland. At that time, he became the author of the “oldest” goal at the World Cup.
At Euro 2024 in Germany, Pepe became the oldest player in the history of the tournament, breaking the record of Hungarian goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly. At that time, he was 41 years and 130 days old.
And at the World Cup, the Portuguese is third in this indicator.
Cruel play
In the match against Getafe on April 21, 2009, Pepe received a direct red card for a foul on an opponent, whom the Brazilian Portuguese then began to kick.
For such a prank, he received a 10-match disqualification.
Many referees noted that Pepe tried to put pressure on their decision, demanding harsher punishment for opponents for fouls.
At the same time, the defender was also famous for simulations.
