Defender Pepe (centre) hangs up his boots. © ANSA / MOHAMED MESSARA

Portugal’s veteran announced retirement as a professional

Defender Pepe announced on Thursday that his career as a professional footballer was over.

August 08, 2024

From: apa

The 41-year-old has played for Portugal's national team since 2007, with whom he won the European Championship in 2016. The Brazilian-born defender played 141 times for the "Selecao". His last matches were at the European Championship in Germany, where the Iberians were eliminated in the quarter-finals on penalties by France. Pepe celebrated his greatest successes at club level at Real Madrid.

With the Madrilenians, he was able to celebrate three triumphs in the Champions League in his ten years at the club and also won the Spanish championship three times. Since 2019, Pepe has played again for FC Porto, for whom he had already played from 2004 to 2007.