From stopper to shooter: 131-goal legend between the posts

Goalkeepers are meant to defend. Rogerio Ceni redefined the rules. He didn’t just guard the net—he filled it. With goals. A lot of them.

For more than twenty years, Ceni was Sao Paulo’s last line of defense. Yet what made him legendary wasn’t just his reflexes. It was his mastery of set pieces.

Free kicks. Penalties. He didn’t just take them—he executed them with surgical precision. And he did it consistently, until he reached 131 career goals.

While most goalkeepers finish their careers with none—or maybe one or two—Ceni shattered expectations. He scored in Brazil’s top flight, in Copa Libertadores clashes, in decisive league matches, and in finals.

Over his career, he struck more than 1,000 set pieces. That’s right—over a thousand. He studied the great Juninho Pernambucano, trained like a midfielder, and approached each kick with the composure of an ice-cold striker.

61 goals from penalties. 70 from free kicks. Some curved around walls into the top corner. Many were impossible to reach—except for Ceni himself.

He once found the net in three consecutive top-division matches. As a goalkeeper. A feat unheard of in professional football.

He even scored against fellow Brazilians, including legends like Dida, Julio Cesar, and Marcos.

But Ceni was no novelty. He captained Sao Paulo, lifted trophies, and became the backbone of a dominant era. Fans didn’t just trust him—they revered him.

On this day, ten years ago, he scored his 131st and final goal—a fitting capstone to a career unlike any other.

Ceni’s records remain untouchable. No Chilavert. No Higuita. Not even Neuer. One club. One jersey. 1,237 matches. 131 goals. And zero minutes as an outfield player.