Portugal Defender, Pepe Makes History As Oldest Player In European Championship

Portugal’s legendary defender Pepe has made history by becoming the oldest player to feature in a European Championship. At 41 years and 113 days old, Pepe achieved this remarkable feat during Portugal’s 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic in their opening game on Tuesday. This milestone surpasses the previous record held by Hungary’s goalkeeper Gábor Király, who was 40 years and 86 days old when he played against Belgium in the round of 16 at Euro 2016.

Pepe’s record-setting appearance comes on the heels of another historical moment in the tournament when Spain’s Lamine Yamal became the youngest player to feature in the European Championship.

Born in Brazil, Pepe was 24 years old when he made his debut for Portugal under the guidance of Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari in November 2007, while he was still a Real Madrid player. Over the years, he has become a stalwart in the Portuguese national team, earning 138 caps and scoring eight goals.

Known for his robust defending, Pepe has also accumulated 25 yellow cards and was sent off once, during Portugal’s opening game against Germany in the 2014 World Cup.