Nenê joins exclusive club as he turns 44, check out all the players over 40 | OneFootball

Anderson Luiz de Carvalho, known as Nenê, is turning 44 years old this Saturday (19).

With 1,044 matches played in his career, Juventude’s number 10 is part of an increasingly short list of active forty-somethings in the world’s top leagues.

This list is led by Fábio, Fluminense’s goalkeeper. It started to include Cristiano Ronaldo this year. And it features ANOTHER Nenê (see details below).

Nenê has been with Papo since April 2023. His contract runs until the end of this season and includes productivity triggers and goals to be achieved.

The video confirming his stay at the club from Serra Gaúcha for 2025 "rode the wave" of longevity in football. Watch it again below:

Discovered by Paulista, Nenê is now at the 15th club of his career. Which is likely to be his last.

He holds, for example, the distinction of being the last Brazilian to be the top scorer in Ligue 1.

He was playing successfully for PSG when he achieved this feat alongside Giroud, then a Montpellier player. Both scored 21 goals in the 2011/2012 season.

He was also celebrated by another former club, Monaco.

The moment of the OTHER forty-somethings:

Fábio - 44 years old - (9/30/1980)

📸 Michael Reaves - 2025 Getty Images

The Fluminense goalkeeper has a contract until the end of next year – when he is expected to retire. In other words: he will likely play until he’s 46 years old.

Fábio took for himself the record for most clean sheets as a goalkeeper against Inter Milan: 507.

And he’s still chasing an even more significant one: the player with the most appearances in football history.

He currently has 1,381. The record holder is former English goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who played 1,387.

Now 76 years old, he began his career in 1966 at Leicester and ended it in 1997 playing for Leyton Orient.

Roque Santa Cruz - 43 years old - (8/16/1981)

📸 NELSON ALMEIDA - AFP or licensors

The Paraguayan striker for Libertad is "only" the last player still active who played in the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

There were eight in 2022, at the time of the Qatar World Cup.

A product of Olimpia, he was already playing professionally in 1997 – just like Fábio.

He stood out at Bayern and played for several clubs (and countries) before returning to Decano in 2016.

He’s been at Libertad since 2022. He has two goals in 22 matches this season.

Ânderson Miguel da Silva, known as Nenê - 41 years old (7/28/1983)

Yes. The list has TWO Nenês.

The less famous one has been in European football since 2008, when he stood out for Nacional from Madeira Island.

He had a long spell at Cagliari between 2009 and 2014.  And he’s been playing in Portugal since 2018.

He was the top scorer of the 2023/2024 local second division for AVS – now AFS Vila das Aves – with 23 goals in 32 matches. Leading the team to the top tier.

There was suffering in 24/25, but relegation was avoided in the playoffs.

He played less (18 league matches) and scored four goals. He remains strong at the club for what’s to come.

Nenê turned professional at São Bento and caught attention with Santa Cruz in 2006.

He played for Cruzeiro the following season and also had a spell at Ipatinga before leaving the country.

José Fonte - 41 years old - (12/22/1983)

📸 FILIPE AMORIM - AFP or licensors

The defender currently playing for Casa Pia had long spells at Southampton and Lille.

He was a Portuguese national team player between 2014 and 2022. He’s now at his seventh different Portuguese club since starting at Sporting B in 2002.

Dante - 41 years old - (10/18/1983)

📸 FREDERIC DIDES - AFP or licensors

He was discovered by Juventude before starting his career in European football.

Including three seasons with Bayern Munich.

He renewed his contract for the upcoming season and will complete ten years at Nice.

He is the captain of the team from the French Riviera.

Cristiano Ronaldo - 40 years old (2/5/1985)

📸 JOHN MACDOUGALL - AFP or licensors

The "Big Robot" renewed for two more seasons with Al-Nassr.

He is chasing his 1,000th goal. He currently has 938.

CR7 has already played 1,281 times in his career.

Only the aforementioned Peter Shilton and Fábio are ahead of him in this regard.

Featured photo: Reproduction/Juventude

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.