Ageless wonder: Fluminense s Fabio, 44, chases Shilton s world record

Fabio Deivson Lopes Maciel, the remarkable 44-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper for Fluminense, is not just playing at the Club World Cup; he's excelling. His starring performance, featuring four crucial saves, helped the Copa Libertadores champions secure a 2-0 victory over Inter Milan on Monday, propelling them into the Club World Cup quarter-finals. This veteran's continued brilliance is putting him on the cusp of an extraordinary global record.

Having debuted in 1997, Fabio has already amassed an astounding 1,378 senior appearances. This incredible tally places him tantalizingly close to former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton's record for the most appearances in world football, which the Guinness Book of Records lists as 1,390, though Shilton himself claims 1,387.

The exact number Fabio is chasing has some nuance. Shilton's club career tally stands at 1,249 games, plus a record 125 England appearances, totaling 1,374. However, if his 13 appearances for England Under-23s are included, as Shilton believes they should be, his total rises to 1,387. Despite this slight ambiguity, Fluminense and Fabio are playing it safe, allowing him to surpass various milestones without premature celebration.

Fabio, who won the Under-19 World Cup in 1997 but has never represented his senior national team, is showing no signs of slowing down. He recently made history with his 508th clean sheet, surpassing Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon. He even makes his 40-year-old teammate Thiago Silva seem youthful in comparison, with both veterans defying their ages in the humid 33°C heat.

He will turn 45 in September, but a new contract signed in May, extending his stay until the end of 2026, makes it almost certain that the all-time appearance record will soon be his.

Most appearances in football:

However, how long Fabio might hold this record is another compelling question. Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, at 40 years old, continues to play at the highest level for club and country, with 1,281 official senior appearances. Given Ronaldo's stated ambition of scoring 1,000 career goals (he's currently at 938), he will undoubtedly be hot on Fabio's heels, setting up a fascinating chase for football's ultimate longevity record.