When 41-year-old Pépe puts his arm around 20-year-old António Silva in the Portuguese national team, they appear more like father and son than teammates – Pépe is old enough to be many of his colleagues’ dad. So, what fuels this former Real Madrid legend’s exceptional form at such an advanced age? Pépe attributes it to his love for football.
After young António Silva’s mistake against Georgia, Pépe has been offering comfort and encouragement. “Yes, we talked, as we often do. We are a family, and I have to take care of our own, but I won’t disclose what we discussed,” he shares.
What’s the key to maintaining his condition? Pépe explains, “The secret lies in my passion for football, giving my all to what I love most – focusing and pouring love into every move in training and matches. They [teammates] always joke that I’m always on the recovery equipment; they even say I own it! But it’s to recover as quickly as possible. I know I won’t bounce back like a 20-year-old, but I’ll do everything I can to serve the coach.”
The 2024 UEFA European Championship marks Pépe’s ninth major tournament with Portugal, and each appearance breaks the record for the oldest player in Euros history. Retirement talk has surrounded him for the past three to five years, yet he made 29 appearances for Porto last season, showing no signs of slowing down. Commenting on retirement, Pépe says, “I haven’t thought about retiring. What’s important is focusing on training. We have a crucial match for both players and the country.”
Portugal will face Slovenia, ranked 57th in the world, in the Round of 16 at 3 a.m. on July 2. If they advance, they’ll meet the winner of France versus Belgium in the quarterfinals.