Dudu hit a massive career milestone, taking the field for Atlético against Chapecoense on the 19th for his 700th professional appearance! The 34-year-old forward reached that wild number in the 28th round of the Brasileirão, and seriously, his role on the squad is baffling.
A Staggering Career, Yet Sitting on the Sidelines?
Seven hundred professional matches. Let that sink in. Dudu’s career includes 697 club games and three for the Brazilian national team, racking up an unreal 126 goals and 126 assists, per Ogol. He’s played for major clubs like Coritiba, Dynamo Kyiv, Grêmio, Palmeiras, and Qatar’s Al-Duhail before landing with Galo last year. This isn’t some bench warmer, this is a legit legend of the game.
He’s Working, But He’s Confused
Despite that incredible track record, Dudu has only started 11 of his 34 matches this year, with four goals. Even crazier, before hitting this milestone, the No. 92 went five games without seeing the field! He’s staying professional, though, telling fans and himself, “Fans ask me, and I ask myself the same thing why. But only the person who picks the lineup and puts the players on the field can answer that question for everyone. I’ve been working, doing my best, but sometimes what is best for me is not what the coach and the group need at this moment. But I’ll keep working and training, because I know my quality, my game, my football, so I just have to keep working to earn more opportunities.” The man’s got quality, why isn’t Coach Eduardo Domínguez using him more?
Dudu’s locked in with CAM until December next year. You gotta hope Galo figures this out and gets a player of his caliber more consistent opportunities. What a waste otherwise!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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