Fluminense -goalkeeper Fabio fits Shilton for most competitive performances

Fabio’s Fabio van Fluminense brought Peter Shilton’s long-term record for most competitive performances in men’s football on Saturday when he was in the field for the 1,390th time in the 2-1 victory of his team at Fortaleza in Brazil in Series A.

In a professional career of 28 years, goalkeeper Fabio, 44, senior games played for Uniao Bandeirante (30), Vasco da Gama (150), Cruise (976) and Fluminense (234).

The total, based on research by Fluminense, is confirmed by Brazilian outlet GloboSport.

«God gave me this gift,» Fabio told Globo when he was asked about the record.

“I have to thank everyone who is part of my life – my father, mother, sisters, friends, my wife … I try to be a good person. The most important thing is to help my teammates. I am grateful, but without God nothing would be possible. These are difficult games and we are confronted with very strong teams.

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Fabio will move past Shilton on Tuesday when he plays when Fluminense The Colombian side America organizes the Cali in the second stage of their Copa Sudamericana round of 16 draw.

It is unlikely that he will stop there, since he is a normal starter for Fluminense.

Former goalkeeper of England Shilton acknowledged in 2023 that Fabio came closer to breaking his record and said he would be the first to congratulate the Brazilian if he did.

Shilton, who played between 1966 and 1997, is recognized as the record holder for the most competitive professional games for men, although the total is disputed.

Guinness World Records and a number of statistics websites say that the count is 1.390, but Shilton itself, on its X feed, gives it as 1,387. The discrepancy comes from Guinness, including 16 unofficial games that Shilton does not take, while containing 13 games he played for the Under-23 team of England that is normally not counted.