There are no players that last forever, but there are some that seem eternal. Pepe, for example, arrived this Sunday at the age of 40 and continues to be an indisputable figure in FC Porto and in the Portuguese national team. He’s one of those people for whom it’s hard to guess an expiration date. The same goes for Dante, a Brazilian centre-back who, at 39 years old, remains the same, rejuvenated by the seven years he has spent breathing the air of the Mediterranean coast as a Nice player. He’s not the oldest player in Ligue 1 – he’s third, behind two goalkeepers with substitute status and zero minutes accumulated. But Dante plays. And it’s not little.
PÚBLICO’s contribution to the country’s democratic and civic life lies in the strength of the relationship it establishes with its readers.To continue reading this article, subscribe to PÚBLICO. [email protected]