The experienced Brazilian defender Felipe Melo (41), former international and current player of the Fluminense from Rio de Janeiro, announced on Thursday that he would end his career at the end of 2025. “Although I have a contract until December (2024), I want and dream of renewing with Fluminense and playing in the Club World Cup. But the decision to stop the football at the end of next year is already taken,” said the defender in a video on Instagram.
Known for his strong and sometimes violent temperament, Felipe Melo was part of the team that won the ‘Flu’s first Copa Libertadores last season. Since then he has played less. This historic victory in the Copa Libertadores guarantees the participation of Cariocas in the first edition of the new format of the Club World Cup, in the United States from June 15 to July 13. The presence of Melo, who will then be 42 years old, will however depend on the renewal of his contract by Fluminense.
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Before becoming a true central defender, Felipe Melo played as a defensive midfielder or, early in his career, as an attacking midfielder. He arrived in Rio in 2022 and previously played for Inter Milan, Juventus, Fiorentina and Galatasaray. He has 22 international caps for Brazil, with whom he played in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where the Netherlands eliminated the five-time world champions in the quarterfinals.
