Thirty-seven years old, and Reinaldo is still doing the thing that keeps strikers employed: putting the ball in the net. On Thursday he did it again, scoring in Mirassol's 2-1 win away at Chapecoense in the Brasileirao Serie A.
The goal was enough to separate the two sides on the night. Chapecoense found the net once themselves, but Mirassol's two strikes, including Reinaldo's, were the difference. He finished the match with a rating of 7.3, the kind of number that does not care how old the passport says you are.
No Signs of Slowing
Plenty of players are winding down their careers by their mid thirties. Reinaldo is still being trusted to lead the line and still delivering when it matters. A goal against Chapecoense is a goal against Chapecoense, regardless of the scorer's age, but there is something notable about a 37 year old still producing match winning moments in a top flight league.
Mirassol will take the three points and move on, but for Reinaldo personally, this was another data point in a case that keeps building itself: experience has not dulled the instincts that matter most in the penalty area.