Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira ComM (born 26 February 1983), known as Pepe (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈpɛpi], European Portuguese: [ˈpɛpɨ]), is a former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He is widely regarded as one of the best centre-backs of all time.[3]
Born and raised in Brazil, Pepe moved to Portugal to sign with Marítimo, before moving to Porto in 2004. During his first Porto stint, he won two Primeira Liga titles, two Taças de Portugal and the Intercontinental Cup. Three years later, he moved to Real Madrid and went on to become a mainstay for the club, winning fifteen major honours, including three La Liga titles, two FIFA Club World Cup titles, two Copa del Rey titles and three UEFA Champions League titles, playing a crucial part in all three UEFA Champions League wins.[4] Out of contract, Pepe signed with Turkish club Beşiktaş in 2017, before returning to Porto in 2019. In his final stint with the Dragões, he won a further two league titles, four Taças de Portugal and a Taça da Liga.
Internationally, Pepe opted to play for Portugal, representing the nation at four FIFA World Cups and five UEFA European Championships. He won the UEFA Euro 2016 title in France, being named player of the match in the final, and was named to the UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament in 2008, 2012 and 2016. He also won the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019. Between his debut in 2007 and 2024, Pepe earned 141 caps.
