Brazilian defensive midfielder Fernandinho, who won trophies at Manchester City for almost a decade, announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 40.
«There is nothing that motivates me anymore in football. I have already achieved everything I wanted,» he told reporters on Wednesday evening after playing a charity match in Curitiba.
“Now it’s time to enjoy my family.”
Fernandinho started and ended his 23-year playing career with Athletico Paranaense in Curitiba. In between, he spent eight seasons with Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine, where he won six top-flight titles.
He then joined Manchester City in 2013 and became a central figure in midfield. He helped the club win five Premier League titles, including four during Pep Guardiola’s tenure.
«He always tries to help the team, the boys who are not playing, me and the staff. He is so generous. He only thinks about what the team needs and what is best for the team,» Guardiola had said of the Brazilian during the latter’s stay in England.
«This is a real captain, if they always think about what is best for the team and the club. That’s why he is so generous when he doesn’t play and when he plays, he always plays well.»
Fernandinho was part of the Brazilian team that won the 2003 Under-20 World Cup, scoring the winner in the final. He collected 53 senior caps with the Selecaowinning the Copa America in 2019.
Published on November 21, 2025
