Record-breaking trajectory
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May 30, 2025 – Fábio registered his 507th career clean sheet in a 2–0 Copa Sudamericana win against Once Caldas, overtaking Buffon’s longstanding mark.
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At the Club World Cup, he’s now up to three clean sheets in five games, conceding only in their 2–1 quarter-final win over Al‑Hilal and 4-2 win over Ulsan.
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His shutouts include impressive performances against Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns.
A career of epic longevity
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Joined Cruzeiro, Vasco, Atlético-PR before signing with Fluminense in January 2022 at age 41.
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Since then, he’s made over 200 appearances for Flu, keeping nearly 90 clean sheets, a remarkable 40% shutout rate .
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Extended his Fluminense contract until the end of 2026, showing remarkable dedication.
Historic milestones
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Fábio’s 507 clean sheets tops Buffon’s 506, cementing his place as the greatest in this metric.
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He also ranks among the longevity kings in football: with 1,378 senior appearances, he is steadily closing in on Peter Shilton’s all-time record (~1,390).
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Became the oldest player (44y 260d) at the Club World Cup, thwarting Borussia Dortmund and Sundowns while leading Flu’s defense.
Legacy & impact
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Fábio embodies “age is just a number”, performing at elite level two decades after winning the 1997 U‑17 World Cup with Ronaldinho.
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His consistency underlines his professionalism, athletic discipline, and mental fortitude .
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The Fluminense captain is now a standard-bearer for longevity and excellence in world football.
What lies ahead
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Fluminense face Semi-final opposition next, with Fábio expected to add to his clean sheet tally.
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With his contract running through 2026, further appearances and records are likely, possibly taking the all-time appearance record from Shilton.
A standing ovation is due to Fluminense’s immortal shot-stopper—Fábio is now football’s ultimate guardian of the goal.
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