When thinking about the most violent and troublesome football players, a name that will surely come to mind is Felipe Melo. This Brazilian midfielder, who spent his career in Brazil, Spain, Italy and Türkiye, announced on Friday that he had decided to retire from football.
He planned to play at least one more year with his final team, Fluminense, hoping to play the first FIFA Club World Cup under the new format (he would have face Borussia Dortmund in the group stage) but Fluminense didn't extend his contract.
In a post on social media, Melo didn't mention by name Fluminense nor any of the twelve teams he has played since 2001. Instead, he "above all, thank God, who gave me the gift, the courage, and the opportunity to experience all of this". "My strength has always come from God's faith, love, and mercy. In the most difficult moments, He was with me, lifting me up, and in moments of glory, He reminded me to be grateful".
Melo's greatest success were with Galatasaray, winning three Turkish Leagues, and particularly his final years in Brazil, where he won three Libertadores Cup, two with Palmeiras (2020 and 2021) and one with Fluminense (2023). He was also International with Brazil, winning a Copa América and in 2007.
Melo, who earned the nickname Pitbull, was also famous because of his frequent violent tackles defending, that caused him to be kicked out several times (he saw 23 red cards in his career) and was genuinely feared by rivals. His temperament sometimes extended outside of the pitch, as one of his final expulsions shows, last summer, when he violently pushed a staff member from the opposing side.