Fluminense's 44-year-old 'mutant' quietly writes history

Fabio Deivson Lopes Maciel, veteran goalkeeper of Fluminense, is still standing tall between the sticks at the age of 44.

And he's not just standing there - he's rewriting football history with a form that has the world in awe.

Fluminense's 2-0 victory over Inter Milan in the 1/8 round of the Club World Cup early on July 1 was not only an earthquake, but also a stage for Fabio to shine brightly. Facing the current Champions League runner-up, the man born in 1980 remained calm as usual.

He made four excellent saves, including a decisive save with his feet late on - helping Fluminense progress to the quarter-finals against either Man City or Al-Hilal.

In the 33 degree Celsius heat in the US, Fabio still stood firm, making people mention him as a timeless icon. Even Thiago Silva - a 40-year-old center back on the same team - looked younger when standing next to Fabio.

Just a few days before the match against Inter, Fabio made history by keeping his 507th clean sheet in his career, surpassing Gianluigi Buffon - a monument of world football. To date, that number has increased to 508, but Fabio is not stopping there.

Next goal? Become the player with the most appearances in world football history.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, England legend Peter Shilton holds the record with 1,390 appearances, although he claims to have played only 1,387. The official figure is 1,374 (1,249 for club and 125 for England). The issue is whether Shilton's 13 appearances for England's under-23 team should be included - something that is still up for debate.

Meanwhile, Fabio - with 1,378 professional games, all in Brazil and not a single international cap - has quietly passed the 1,374 mark without any ceremony. But he and Fluminense remain modest, not declaring a record-breaking achievement, because they want to make sure everything is done.

By all accounts, though, Shilton’s record is only a matter of time. With his contract extended until the end of 2026, Fabio – who turns 45 in September – has plenty of time to surpass any existing record.

Fabio is quietly writing history.

Although the record is close, Fabio will not be able to rest on that title for too long. Another "monster" is still active: Cristiano Ronaldo.

At the age of 40, CR7 still plays regularly for Al Nassr and the Portuguese national team. He has 1,281 official matches in his career and is still aiming for the 1,000-goal mark. With his never-ending determination, Ronaldo will certainly be a strong candidate to surpass Fábio in the next few years.

Throughout a career spanning nearly three decades, Fabio never played for the Brazilian national team, despite winning the U19 World Cup in 1997. But it was his tenacity, dedication and humility that made him a different legend - a goalkeeper who did not need the spotlight, just his gloves and the goal to write history.

For Fluminense, Fabio is more than just a goalkeeper, he is a symbol of perseverance. For world football, he is living proof of the saying "age is just a number".

The record is waiting for him to conquer. And with what he has shown, Fabio - at the age of 44 - is still an immortal warrior.

Source: https://znews.vn/di-nhan-44-tuoi-cua-fluminense-am-tham-viet-nen-lich-su-post1565001.html