Fernandinho retires from football at 40 after 20-year career

November 21, 2025 / 10:14 AM

Sharjah24: Former Manchester City captain, Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho, has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 40, concluding a career that spanned more than two decades.

Speaking to journalists after taking part in a charity match in Curitiba, the former Brazil international, who also starred for Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk, said: “Football no longer motivates me. I have achieved everything I set out to do. It is now time to enjoy life with my family.”

Fernandinho had been without a club since leaving Atlético Paranaense in December 2024, the team where he began his professional career and returned to in 2022.

During his time at Shakhtar Donetsk, he won six league titles and the UEFA Cup (now Europa League) in 2009 before moving to Manchester City, where he spent nine seasons. At City, he won five Premier League titles, the FA Cup once, six League Cups, two Community Shields, and played in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final.

Internationally, Fernandinho earned 53 caps for Brazil, scoring twice, and won the 2003 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2019 Copa América.