“João Moutinho surpasses Paolo Maldini and makes history in Europe.”

João Moutinho achieves historic milestone: he is the fourth player with the most appearances in European competitions!

In a moment that marks his brilliant career, Portuguese international João Moutinho, currently with SC Braga, reached an impressive milestone in European competitions on Thursday. With 175 matches played, Moutinho surpassed a legend of world football, Paolo Maldini, positioning himself as the fourth player with the most European appearances of all time. This achievement is even more remarkable considering the diversity of clubs he has represented throughout his career.

In the match against Freiburg in Braga, part of the first leg of the UEFA Europa League semi-finals, João Moutinho was on the field as a starter, consolidating his status as a giant of continental football. At 39 years old, the Portuguese midfielder surpassed Paolo Maldini’s 174 matches, who played exclusively for AC Milan, an impressive record given the Italian’s loyalty to a single club. Moutinho, on the other hand, has accumulated these 175 matches while serving five different clubs: Sporting CP, FC Porto, AS Monaco, Wolverhampton, and SC Braga, demonstrating a longevity and versatility rare in modern football.

This performance places João Moutinho ahead of other global stars such as Luka Modric — who is still active at AC Milan — and Xavi Hernández, both with 173 matches in European competitions. The Portuguese midfielder thus cements his prominent position among the greatest midfielders in the history of European football.

But who leads this list of players with the most matches in European competitions? The captain of the national team, Cristiano Ronaldo, who has an impressive 197 appearances for Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, and who now plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. In second and third place are two legendary Spanish goalkeepers who have already retired: Pepe Reina, with 192 matches for various clubs such as Barcelona, Liverpool, and Milan, and Iker Casillas, with 188 matches for Real Madrid and FC Porto.

With just 13 European matches left to play to reach the podium and match Iker Casillas, João Moutinho continues to demonstrate that, even at 39 years old, he is a force to be reckoned with in continental competitions. This achievement is even more impressive when we consider that Moutinho is the second player with the most caps for the Portuguese national team, totaling 146 matches, only behind the unbeatable Cristiano Ronaldo (226 matches).

João Moutinho is writing his name in golden letters in the history of European and Portuguese football. His career is an example of longevity, professionalism, and quality that few can match. The battle for the top of the table of the most experienced players in European competitions is far from over, and the Portuguese “maestro” promises many more thrills for football fans.

Get ready to follow every step of this phenomenon of national football on his journey to the European podium!

This article first appeared on Apito Final.