Fernandinho’s farewell to professional football took place during a charity match held at Arena da Baixada in Curitiba on Wednesday.
"I'm already tired. I got tired just running for a little over 30 minutes today. There's nothing in football that motivates me anymore; I've achieved everything I wanted in the sport. I made the most of every opportunity. Now, it's time to enjoy life with my family," said the now former player.
Fernandinho’s last official match brings back tough memories for Athletico-PR fans. It turned out to be the 1-0 defeat to Atletico-MG at Independencia, in the final round of last year’s Serie A in the Brasileirao.
That result sealed Furacao’s relegation. Fernandinho closed out the 2024 season with 46 appearances, eight goals, and seven assists.
Manchester City legend
Beyond his legendary status at Athletico-PR, Fernandinho became an icon at Manchester City.
He spent nine years at the club, playing 383 matches, scoring 26 goals, and winning 12 trophies. Many consider him the greatest Brazilian player in Premier League history.
In addition to Athletico-PR and City, Fernandinho also played for Shakhtar Donetsk, where he won six Ukrainian league titles and a UEFA Cup, now known as the Europa League.
With the Brazilian national team, Fernandinho played 53 matches and scored two goals. He was part of the squads for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 2018 tournament in Russia.