Pepe's Controversial Legacy: Porto's Ageing Warrior

As Arsenal prepare to face Porto in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, all eyes will be on the veteran defender who has etched his name into European folklore – for better or worse. At 40 years old, Pepe is the oldest player ever to grace the prestigious tournament, a testament to his longevity and the fire that still burns within.

But the Portuguese international’s career has been a tale of two narratives. One paints him as a serial winner, a warrior who has lifted the Champions League trophy three times with the mighty Real Madrid. The other, however, casts a darker shadow – that of a combustible character plagued by controversies and indiscipline.

With 17 red cards and a staggering 212 bookings to his name, Pepe’s rap sheet is as lengthy as his list of accolades. From stamping on Lionel Messi’s hand during an El Clasico to kicking out at opponents while already on the ground, the centre-back has often walked a thin line between grit and gratuitous violence.

His latest indiscretion came in December 2023, when he was dismissed for striking Sporting’s Matheus Reis with his arm in a heated Primeira Liga encounter. At an age when most players have long hung up their boots, Pepe’s warrior spirit shows no signs of waning.

Yet, it is this very intensity that has made him a pivotal figure in Porto’s robust rearguard. A serial winner who knows no other way, the veteran marshals his troops with a blend of snarling tenacity and hardened experience that could prove decisive against Arsenal’s fledgling attackers.

For all his controversies, Pepe’s ability to walk the line between defensive mastery and menace is unquestionable. A player who has graced the game’s greatest stages and conquered its loftiest peaks, he remains an enigma – adored by his own, despised by rivals, but respected by all for his unwavering commitment to the cause.

As the Gunners look to overturn a 1-0 deficit, they would be wise to treat the wily old warrior with caution. For in Pepe, they will encounter a man who has seen and done it all, from the sublime to the scandalous. A true protagonist of the modern game, whose legacy, like the man himself, is impossible to ignore.