Pepe — Biography, Career & Honours
Pepe is a former Brazil-born centre-back who represented Portugal and won UEFA Euro 2016 with the national team. Born Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira in Maceió, he played for Marítimo, Porto, Real Madrid and Beşiktaş before retiring in 2024.
UEFA Euro 2016 champion
Three-time Champions League winner
141
8 goals scored · 2007–2024
3
2013–14, 2015–16 & 2016–17 with Real Madrid
23
Club and international honours
Man of the Match
Portugal 1–0 France · Paris
About the athlete
Full name
Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira
Known as
Pepe
Date of birth
26 February 1983
Place of birth
Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
Position
Centre-back
Nationality
Portuguese, naturalised in August 2007
Status
Retired professional footballer
Early Life and Move to Portugal
Pepe was born in Maceió, Brazil, and began playing football in the youth ranks of local club Corinthians Alagoano. His full name, Kepler Laveran, was chosen by his father in honour of astronomer Johannes Kepler and physician Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran. At 18, Pepe moved to Portugal together with teammate Ezequias to join Marítimo in Madeira.
Career Background
Pepe’s career spanned more than two decades and took him from Brazil to Portugal, Spain and Turkey. He is best known for his ten years at Real Madrid, where he won three Champions League titles, and for two spells at Porto, where he finished his career as captain.
Pepe spent most of his first season with Marítimo’s B team before joining the senior squad for 2002–03 under Anatoliy Byshovets. He quickly became a regular, rarely missing matches and playing in several positions, including defensive midfield. During one pre-season he trained with Sporting CP for two weeks, but the clubs could not agree on a transfer fee.
In 2003–04, Marítimo finished sixth and qualified for the UEFA Cup, with Pepe scoring once in 30 appearances. His performances caught the attention of Porto, who signed him in the summer of 2004, shortly after their Champions League triumph.
At first, Pepe was a reserve behind experienced defenders Pedro Emanuel, Jorge Costa and Ricardo Costa. His breakthrough came under Co Adriaanse, who often used a 3–4–3 system with Pepe as the only natural stopper. He went on to win back-to-back Primeira Liga titles with Porto in 2006 and 2007.
Real Madrid signed Pepe on 10 July 2007 for €30 million on a five-year contract. He made an immediate impact, helping the club win La Liga in his first season and earning man-of-the-match honours in a 1–0 win over Barcelona at Camp Nou.
The darkest moment of his career came in April 2009 against Getafe. After conceding a penalty, Pepe kicked and stamped on Javier Casquero and struck Juan Ángel Albín, receiving a red card and a ten-match suspension that effectively ended his season. Months later, a serious knee injury ruled him out for the rest of 2009–10.
Pepe bounced back to form a strong centre-back partnership with Sergio Ramos. Key moments of his Madrid years:
- 2011–12: 45 appearances in all competitions, 29 of them in La Liga, as Madrid won the league title.
- 2013–14: 11 Champions League matches on the way to La Décima, the club’s tenth European title.
- 2016: started the Champions League final against Atlético Madrid, which Madrid won.
- 2016–17: limited to 13 appearances by injuries and the rise of Raphaël Varane, but finished his Madrid career with another La Liga and Champions League double.
In total, he won three Champions League titles and three La Liga titles with Real Madrid.
Pepe joined Turkish club Beşiktaş on a free transfer in July 2017 and scored in a home win over Antalyaspor the following month. He received his first red card for the club in a Turkish Cup tie against Fenerbahçe, a match later abandoned after an object thrown from the stands hit the Beşiktaş coach. Pepe and Beşiktaş ended his contract by mutual agreement in December 2018.
In January 2019, Pepe returned to Porto on a two-and-a-half-year deal, playing his first match for the club since 2007 in a Taça de Portugal quarter-final win over Leixões. Porto finished that season as league runners-up and lost the cup final on penalties, but won both competitions in 2019–20.
After Danilo Pereira left for Paris Saint-Germain in October 2020, Pepe was named club captain, and he extended his contract a month later. More league and cup titles followed, though his temper still surfaced at times: in February 2022, he was sent off and banned for two matches after a brawl against Sporting CP.
In his final seasons, Pepe set several age records in the Champions League:
- October 2023: became the competition’s oldest outfield player.
- November 2023: headed a goal against Royal Antwerp to become the oldest goalscorer in Champions League history.
- March 2024: became the first outfield player over 40 to play in a Champions League knockout match.
Pepe retired from professional football in August 2024, at the age of 41.
Medals and marks
Pepe won major titles at club and international level, including the European Championship with Portugal and three Champions League trophies with Real Madrid.
| Category / Competition | Achievement & Details |
|---|---|
| UEFA European Championship | Winner (2016) with Portugal |
| UEFA Nations League | Winner (2018–19) with Portugal |
| UEFA Champions League | 3x Winner with Real Madrid (2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17) |
| La Liga | 3x Spanish Champion with Real Madrid (2007–08, 2011–12, 2016–17) |
| Copa del Rey | 2x Winner with Real Madrid (2010–11, 2013–14) |
| Primeira Liga | 4x Portuguese Champion with Porto (2005–06, 2006–07, 2019–20, 2021–22) |
| Taça de Portugal | 5x Winner with Porto (2005–06, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24) |
| Taça da Liga | Winner (2022–23) with Porto |
| Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira | 3x Winner with Porto (2006, 2020, 2022) |
| UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament | Selected in 2008, 2012, and 2016 |
| UEFA Euro 2016 Final | Named Man of the Match (Portugal vs France) |
| UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season | Selected in 2013–14 |
| ESM Team of the Season | Selected in 2013–14 |
| CNID Best Portuguese Athlete Abroad | Winner (2014) |
| Quinas de Ouro Award | Best Portuguese Player in Portugal (2020) |
| National Honours | Appointed Commander of the Order of Merit (Comendador da Ordem do Mérito) |
Playing for Portugal
Pepe, who hails from Brazil, became a Portuguese citizen in August 2007 and played his first match for Portugal just three months after, having turned down an offer from the Brazilian Football Confederation. Throughout his 17-year career on the international stage, he faced plenty of challenges, like bouncing back from a knee injury before the 2010 World Cup and dealing with a shoulder fracture during the 2019 Nations League semi-final. His last match against France at Euro 2024 wrapped up his professional career, and he declared his retirement on August 8, 2024.
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| Caps & Goals | 141 caps, 8 goals (2007–2024) |
| Major Tournaments | 4 FIFA World Cups, 5 UEFA European Championships |
| Trophies | UEFA Euro 2016, UEFA Nations League 2019 |
| Euro 2016 Final | Man of the Match |
| European Championship Record | Oldest player in tournament history (Euro 2024) |
Pepe’s Legacy in Portuguese Football
Pepe retired in August 2024 as one of the most decorated defenders in Portugal’s history. The 2026 World Cup was the national team’s first major tournament without him since 2008, marking the end of the generation that won Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League.
His influence remains visible in the side he leaves behind. Younger centre-backs grew up alongside him in the squad, and Pepe is still remembered as the defensive leader who gave Portugal its toughness during its most successful era.
Playing Style and Reputation
Pepe was a fast, tough and physical centre-back who combined pace and strength with committed tackling and a strong work ethic. His height made him a threat at set-pieces, and coaches occasionally used him in defensive midfield. Over the years, he earned praise for his leadership, reading of the game, reliability and durability.
His career was also marked by controversy. Pepe’s disciplinary record and several incidents seen as aggressive or unsportsmanlike, especially during his time at Real Madrid, drew heavy criticism. Even so, Carlo Ancelotti, who coached him at Madrid, said his presence gave the team confidence and character, and that teammates relied on him.
FAQ
Pepe is the playing name of Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira, a Brazil-born former centre-back who represented Portugal.
Pepe played for Marítimo, Porto, Real Madrid and Beşiktaş, then returned to Porto after matches played between the teams.
Pepe made 141 appearances for Portugal between his debut in 2007 and his retirement from international football.
Pepe won the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and UEFA Euro 2016 while representing Portugal.
Pepe announced his retirement on 8 August 2024, aged 41.