When Nice defender Dante’s football career began, the Europa League was not the competition it is now.
There was no league phase, no group stages or even that name – with the competition under its previous UEFA Cup moniker when he started out in 2002 at Juventude in his homeland.
Now, 23 years later, he continues to play at the highest level with the 41-year-old taking his place in the Nice team which takes on Roma on Thursday night.
And in doing so, he has made an impressive piece of history for himself.
Dante, history maker 🇧🇷👏#UELpic.twitter.com/eyqogIb4pp
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) September 24, 2025
Age really is just a number.
📸 VALERY HACHE – AFP or licensors