This article is about the footballer born in February 1983. For the footballer born in the same year, seePepe (footballer, born October 1983). For other people named Pepe, seePepe.
In thisPortuguese name, the first or maternalfamily name isDe Lima and the second or paternal family name isFerreira.
Kepler Laveran de Lima FerreiraOM (born 26 February 1983), known asPepe (Brazilian Portuguese:[ˈpɛpi],European Portuguese:[ˈpɛpɨ]), is a former professionalfootballer who played as acentre-back. Born in Brazil, he played for thePortugal national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of his generation.[3][4]
Born and raised in Brazil, Pepe moved to Portugal to sign withMarítimo, before moving toPorto in 2004. During his first Porto stint, he won twoPrimeira Liga titles, twoTaças de Portugal and theIntercontinental Cup. Three years later, he moved toReal Madrid and went on to become a mainstay for the club, winning fifteen major honours, including threeLa Liga titles, two FIFA Club World Cup titles, twoCopa del Rey titles and threeUEFA Champions League titles, playing a crucial part in all three UEFA Champions League wins.[5] Out of contract, Pepe signed with Turkish clubBeşiktaş in 2017, before returning toPorto in 2019. In his final stint with theDragões, he won a further two league titles, four Taças de Portugal and aTaça da Liga.
During the2002–03 pre-season, Pepe was given permission to train withSporting CP for two weeks, after which a deal could be negotiated for his transfer. However, neither club could agree on financial terms and the negotiations broke down, with the player returning[7] and going on to help Marítimo finish sixth in thefollowing campaign and qualify to theUEFA Cup, having contributed with 1 goal in 30 matches.
On 10 July 2007,Real Madrid signed Pepe to a five-year contract, paying Porto a €30 million transfer fee.[9] On 15 March 2008, Pepe scored the only (own) goal in a 0–1 away loss againstDeportivo La Coruña.[10] Eight months later, he was involved in a fight during training with teammateJavier Balboa[11] – the defender was nonetheless called up for Real's next match, whereas thewinger was not. AsLos Blancos were eventuallycrowned champions ofLa Liga, he delivered aMan of the match performance in a 1–0 win at theCamp Nou againstBarcelona.[12]
Pepe was constantly hampered by injuries throughout the2008–09 campaign. On 21 April 2009, he was also involved in an incident withGetafe'sJavier Casquero: with the score at 2–2 and only a few minutes to play, he brought down the midfielder in thepenalty area, being subsequentlysent off. He then kicked Casquero twice, once on his shin and once on his lower back. When being pulled away from Casquero, he also pushed his head into the turf and stamped on him several times. In the ensuing mêlée, he also struck another opposing player,Juan Ángel Albín, in the face and eventually received a ten-match ban, which effectively ended his season.[13]
In the2009–10 season, Pepe returned to claim his place back in the starting line-ups. On 4 October 2009, he scored his first goal in the league, againstSevilla at theRamón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, heading home from aGutifree-kick in a 1–2 loss. However, on 12 December, during a match atMestalla againstValencia (3–2 win), he landed awkwardly following an aerial challenge and was stretchered off the pitch in the dying minutes of the first half. Scans later showed that he ruptured his right knee'santerior cruciate ligament.[14] He went on to miss the rest of the season, jeopardising his2010 FIFA World Cup chances.
For2010–11, Pepe was joined at Real Madrid by countrymenRicardo Carvalho and managerJosé Mourinho, pairing up with Carvalho to form one of the most efficient defensive pairings in La Liga. On 2 October 2010,Diario AS published an article where the player was reportedly open to leave the club on aBosman transfer.[15] According to the newspaper, "[W]hen he signed for Real Madrid in 2007, he sacrificed a part of his salary to pay for his huge transfer fee – this made him one of the lowest earners at the club, making €1.8 million a year."[16] Again, he missed several matches due to injury[17] and, after exhausting negotiations,[18] finally signed a new contract, renewing his link to the club until 2015.[19]
Pepe spent the final stretch of the season appearing as a defensive midfielder as Real Madrid faced Barcelona four times in less than one month. On 27 April 2011, in theUEFA Champions League semi-final first leg, he was sent off for a controversial challenge on Barcelona defenderDani Alves in an eventual 0–2 home loss.[20] However, Alves also came into strong criticism, with Real Madrid claiming the Brazilian fullback had exaggerated the incident. Additionally, sportspersons includingRio Ferdinand,Michael Owen andRory McIlroy criticised Alves' actions.[21] The next day,UEFA opened disciplinary cases against both clubs for a number of incidents during the match.[22] The verdict was announced eight days later: the red card stood and Pepe therefore received a one-match ban from European competition, which he served by not playing in the 1–1 draw in the second leg atCamp Nou.[23]
2011–17: European and domestic success and departure
On 12 July 2011, Pepe extended his contract with Real Madrid again, until the end of the 2015–16 season.[24] In a match againstOsasuna on 6 November, he scored the team's second goal in an eventual 7–1 home routing.[25] In the first match of theCopa del Reyquarter-final against Barcelona on 18 January 2012, he stamped on the hand ofLionel Messi, who was on the ground after having been fouled.[26][27] The incident drew strong criticism from the Spanish media, who also noted his coming-together withCesc Fàbregas earlier in the 1–2 home defeat,[28] but he insisted that the incident, which was not seen by thereferee, was "unintentional".[29] On 23 January, theRoyal Spanish Football Federation cleared him of any wrongdoing.[30][31]
Pepe warming up for Real Madrid in 2012
On 21 March 2012, Pepe was involved in another serious incident: after a 1–1 away draw againstVillarreal in which he wasbooked and Real Madrid finished with nine players, he confrontedreferee José Luis Paradas Romero in the locker room area, saying, "What a ripoff motherfucker."[32] Two days later, he was suspended for two matches.[33]
In the 2011–12 season, Pepe formed a formidable centre back partnership withSergio Ramos. That campaign, he went on to make 29 appearances inLa Liga and 45 appearances in all competitions as Real Madrid claimed their 32nd league title.[34]
On 19 August 2012, in theleague opener against Valencia, Pepe collided with Real MadridgoalkeeperIker Casillas in the play that led to the visitors equalising the score 1–1 (the final result). He was subsequently taken to hospital for observation,[35] being released the following day.[36] Amid feuds with Mourinho, Pepe lost his starting place toRaphaël Varane throughout the season and would end up getting into a scuffle withAtlético Madrid managerDiego Simeone from the substitutes' bench in the2013 Copa del Rey Final.[37][38]
Pepe warming up for Real Madrid in 2016
In the2013–14 season, Pepe had a personal career high number of goals scored and appearances made for Real Madrid, making 11 appearances in theirLa Decima winning campaign in the2013-14 UEFA Champions League.Carlo Ancelotti, the Real Madrid manager at the time, spoke of his importance saying, "We're more assured with him. He gives us confidence, personality and he helps the other players; he is very important for them."[39] In the2015–16 season, Pepe made nine appearances in theUEFA Champions League and 31 appearances in all competitions. He started the match when the team won theChampions League final against Atlético Madrid in apenalty shoot-out atSan Siro,Milan.[40]
TurkishSüper Lig sideBeşiktaş announced the signing of Pepe on a free transfer from Real Madrid, on 4 July 2017.[44] His contract was worth €9.5 million in total over the two-years, plus a €4,000 bonus for each match played.[45] On 13 August, he scored his first goal in a 2–0 home win againstAntalyaspor.[46]
On 19 April 2018, in the second leg of theTurkish Cup againstFenerbahçe, he received his first red card for Beşiktaş after a tackle onSouza. The match was later abandoned after the Beşiktaş coach was struck by an object thrown from the stands.[47]
Pepe revoked his contract with Beşiktaş in a mutual agreement on 17 December 2018.[48]
On 8 January 2019, Pepe returned to Porto after over a decade, on a 21⁄2-year contract.[49] A week later, he played his first game for Porto since 2007 in the2018–19 Taça de Portugal quarter-finals, winning 2–1 away toLeixões.[50] While his side ended the 2018–19 season as league runners-up on the final day and lost thecup final on penalties to Sporting, they won both tournaments in 2019–20.[51]
On 25 October 2023, at 40 years and 241 days, Pepe became the oldest outfield player to play in the UEFA Champions League, in a 4–1group stage victory away atRoyal Antwerp, breaking the record previously held byAlessandro Costacurta for 17 years.[54] On 7 November, in the return fixture, Pepe headed in Porto's second goal in a 2–0 victory over Royal Antwerp, becoming, at 40 years and 254 days old, the oldest ever goalscorer in the UEFA Champions League history, breaking the record previously held byManfred Burgsmüller in 1988.[55] On 13 December, Pepe started and scored in a 5–3 Champions League victory overShakhtar Donetsk, setting both his records to 40 years and 289 days.[56]
On 12 March 2024, at 41 years old, in a match againstArsenal, Pepe became the first outfield player over the age of 40 to play in the Champions League knock-out stage.[57]
Pepe never represented his nativeBrazil in any youth category. However, according to the player's father, in 2006, he was contacted by head coachDunga about a possible call-up, which he declined, stating that once he obtained Portuguese citizenship, he would joinits national team.[58] He became naturalised in August 2007 and, on 30 August, was named in the Portugal squad for the first time in view of aUEFA Euro 2008qualifier againstPoland.[59] An injury while training for his club prevented the debut for his adopted country, which would materialise almost four months later, in Portugal's last match in the tournament againstFinland on 21 November, a 0–0 home draw.
In the tournament's final stages, Pepe played in all of the national side's matches, scoring once in a 2–0 win againstTurkey on 7 June 2008.[60] Portugal was eliminated in the quarter-finals byGermany.
During the2010 FIFA World Cupqualifying campaign, Pepe was often used as a defensive midfielder by national coachCarlos Queiroz. After his serious knee injury while playing for Real Madrid, he was eventually selected for the national squad that participated in the finals in South Africa, appearing against Brazil in the group stage (0–0) and eventual championsSpain in theround of 16 (0–1 loss).
Again a starter inEuro 2012 under managerPaulo Bento, Pepe opened the score in the second group game againstDenmark, heading home after aJoão Moutinhocorner kick in an eventual 3–2 win.[61] He was later chosen byUEFA as man of the match[62] and, in the semi-final, he was one of two Portugal players to score in a 2–4penalty shootout defeat to eventual winners Spain.[63]
In the2014 World Cup, Pepe received a red card in the first half of Portugal's opening match against eventual champions Germany, for headbuttingThomas Müller late into the first half of an eventual 0–4 loss. At the time, Müller was sitting on the ground and Pepe walked back to Müller to headbutt him.[64][65] He was suspended for the following match, which Portugal drew 2–2 with theUnited States, before returning to the team for the finalGroup G fixture againstGhana.[66]
2016–2019: European champion, Nations League title and 100 caps
Pepe started in central defence in six of Portugal's seven matches atUEFA Euro 2016. After missing the semi-final againstWales with a thigh injury,[67] he returned to the team forthe final, where he was named man of the match, helping his team to keep a clean-sheet in a 1–0 extra-time victory over hostsFrance and win Portugal's first ever international title.[68] His performance in the final was particularly noted bySky Sports andFootball Paradise's Juuso Kilpeläinen for being firm and disciplined.[69][70]
On 2 July 2017, in the third-place match againstMexico at the2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, Pepe scored an injury time equaliser to send the match into extra-time. Portugal eventually won the match 2–1 to capture the bronze medal.[71]
In Portugal's opening match against Spain during the2018 World Cup, Pepe went down after a collision with Spain forwardDiego Costa, who then took the ball into the penalty area before scoring. The goal was checked by thevideo assistant referee (VAR), who allowed the goal to stand. In Portugal's second match, Pepe went down after he was tapped on the back by Morocco'sMedhi Benatia. In the BBC studio, former footballerRio Ferdinand called Pepe's dive "embarrassing".[72] Former strikerDidier Drogba also expressed derision for Pepe, stating "he's been doing this quite a few times".[72] Pepe scored in Portugal's2–1 defeat againstUruguay in the last 16.[73]
On 6 September 2018 in a friendly match againstCroatia at theEstádio do Algarve, Pepe earned his100th cap. He captained the side and headed an equaliser fromPizzi's cross to secure a 1–1 draw.[74]
Pepe was part of Portugal's squad for theirUEFA Nations League win in2019. He captained the team in three of the fourGroup 3 matches, before starting in central defence in the semi-final againstSwitzerland. During the match, he fractured his right shoulder which led to his missing the2019 UEFA Nations League Final[75] which Portugal won 1–0 against theNetherlands.[76]
2020–2024: Final international tournaments and retirement
In October 2022, he was named in Portugal's preliminary 55-mansquad for the2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar,[79] being included in the final 26-man squad for the tournament.[80] He scored Portugal's second goal in a thrashing 6–1 win in the round of 16 match againstSwitzerland; by doing so, at 39 years and 283 days old, he became the oldest player to score at the knock-out stage and second-oldest player to ever score in the tournament, behind Cameroonian strikerRoger Milla, who was 42 years and 39 days old when he scored againstRussia in the1994 FIFA World Cup.[81]
In May 2024, Pepe was selected in the 26-man squad for theUEFA Euro 2024.[82] In the opening match against theCzech Republic, on 18 June, he became the oldest player to feature in theEuropean Championship, aged 41 years and 113 days.[83] He also became one of only three players to feature in five European Championships.[84] Portugal were eliminated in the quarter-finals toFrance after losing 5–3 on penalties; this marked Pepe's final game in professional football.[85] One month after this match, on August 8, 2024, one day before the start of the2024–25 Primeira Liga season, he announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 41.[86]
Considered to be one of the best defenders of his generation,[87] in his prime Pepe was a quick, aggressive, physically strong, and tenacious defender, who was known for his work-rate, energy, and hard-tackling style of play. Due to his height, he was also an aerial threat onset-pieces. While he usually played as acentre-back, he was also used as adefensive midfielder on occasion at international level. However, despite his defensive abilities, he also drew criticism in the media due to his tendency to pick up cards, as he often showed violent or unsportsmanlike behaviour on the pitch, in particular during his time at Real Madrid, which includeddiving,[72] and violent challenges on the pitch.[88][89][90][91][92][93][94][95] However, despite his reputation, he has also been recognised by pundits, players, and managers for his leadership,[96][97] tactical intelligence,[98] longevity,[99][100] and consistency.[100][101]
^"Pepe já assinou contrato" [Pepe already signed a contract].Record (in Portuguese). 13 May 2004. Archived fromthe original on 22 March 2021. Retrieved24 December 2020.
