Nenê, 45, still starring for Botafogo-PB after glittering career | OneFootball

On his 45th birthday this Sunday, Nenê is still pulling the strings for Botafogo-PB in his 27th professional season, having helped end a seven-year wait for the Paraibano title.

In 2026, at his 16th club, he has nine goals, four assists and 1,866 minutes in 23 outings, and sits second in this year's Série C scoring with six. According to Globo.com, he remains the Belo's on-field reference.

Raised at Paulista de Jundiaí, he was central to the club's 2001 triumphs in Série C and the Paulistão A2. A 2002 loan to Palmeiras brought 31 games and 10 goals, before a 2003 switch to Santos, runners-up in the league and Libertadores, and a sale to Mallorca.

He then spent nearly 12 years in Europe with clubs in Spain, France and England. At Paris Saint-Germain he peaked, named UNFP Ligue 1 player of the year in 2010/11 and recording 112 games and 48 goals.

Back home with Vasco in 2015, he drove promotion and lifted the 2016 Carioca, 2016 Taça Guanabara and 2017 Taça Rio, then featured for São Paulo and Fluminense.

He rejoined Vasco in 2021, moved to Juventude two years later to win promotion, and in 2024 reached 1,000 career matches while helping the club stay in Série A. In 2026 he signed for Botafogo-PB to chase a return to Série B, which the club have not played since 1989, debuted as a World Cup pundit, and visited France's training to greet Kylian Mbappé and other stars.

Source: Globo.com