Portugal defender Pepe has extended his record as the oldest player to appear in a EURO final tournament, surpassing his previous benchmarks during Portugal’s UEFA EURO 2024 campaign. He initially broke Gábor Király’s record on Matchday 1 against Czechia, and most recently, he raised the bar to 41 years and 126 days in Portugal’s round of 16 match against Slovenia.
“A neutral watching Pepe play, you wouldn’t believe he was 41,” said Seleção coach Roberto Martínez. “He’s a professional for 24 hours a day. The focus is on playing another year, then another one. Added to that, there’s a love of the game and genetics – you can’t buy those!”
Hungary goalkeeper Király held the previous record, appearing at EURO 2016 at 40 years and 86 days. Before Pepe, the oldest outfield player at a EURO was Lothar Matthäus, who played for Germany at EURO 2000 aged 39 years and 91 days.
Record Holders in EURO History
Oldest Player to Appear
- Pepe (41 years, 126 days): The veteran center-back made an immediate impact on the EURO stage. Scoring in his tournament debut against Türkiye at EURO 2008. He played a pivotal role in Portugal’s 2016 triumph, being named Player of the Match in the final against France.
Oldest Player to Score
- Luka Modrić (38 years, 289 days): The Real Madrid star scored against Italy in a 1-1 draw during the UEFA EURO 2024 Group B match. This was his first EURO finals goal since scoring against Scotland in 2021.
Oldest Player to Win
- Arnold Mühren (37 years, 23 days): Mühren, who teed up Marco van Basten’s famous goal in the 1988 final. Holds the record as the oldest player to win a EURO final. Ricardo Carvalho was older when Portugal won in 2016 but did not play in the final match.
Oldest Player in a Final
- Jens Lehmann (38 years, 232 days): The German goalkeeper set the record in the 2008 final, although Germany lost to Spain.
Oldest Scorer in a Final
- Leonardo Bonucci (34 years, 71 days): Bonucci scored for Italy in the 2020 final against England. Becoming the second player over 30 to score in a EURO final, surpassing Bernd Hölzenbein’s record from 1976.
Pepe’s record and the achievements of these players highlight the longevity and impact experienced players can have on the biggest stages of European football.
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