Treble winner Dante leads Nice to safety in his last game before retirement at 42

**Treble winner Dante leads Nice to safety in his last game before retirement at 42** OGC Nice secured their position in Ligue 1 with a 4-1 victory over Saint-Étienne on the final matchday of the 2023-24 season, as 42-year-old captain Dante played 78 minutes in his final professional appearance. The Brazilian centre-back, who lifted the UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal with Bayern Munich in 2013, anchored the defence before being substituted in the second half at the Allianz Riviera. The result confirmed Nice’s mid-table finish and avoided any relegation concerns. Dante was appointed captain for the fixture, which was played without spectators due to ongoing stadium restrictions.

The Match

Nice took the lead through a first-half penalty converted by Terem Moffi. Saint-Étienne equalised briefly before goals from Gaëtan Laborde, Sofiane Diop and a late strike from another teammate sealed the win. Dante completed 78 minutes, recording four clearances and winning five of seven duels, according to official Ligue 1 statistics released after the match. Club president Jean-Pierre Rivère addressed the squad in the dressing room post-match. “Dante has given everything to this club and to football,” Rivère said in comments reported by L’Équipe. “His leadership secured the points we needed today.”

Background on Dante’s Career

Dante Bonfim Costa Santos began his European career at Ajax before moves to Werder Bremen and Borussia Mönchengladbach. His most decorated period came at Bayern Munich, where he started in the 2013 Champions League final victory over Borussia Dortmund. He joined Nice in 2016 and remained until his retirement, making more than 200 appearances across two spells with the club. Ligue 1 records show Dante featured in 28 matches during the 2023-24 campaign, starting 24. His experience proved valuable in a season that saw three different head coaches at the club before stabilisation under Franck Haise.

Response from Officials and Teammates

Haise praised the defender’s influence in post-match press conference remarks carried by Reuters. “Dante set the standard every day in training and in matches,” Haise said. “We respected his wish to finish on the pitch.” Dante spoke briefly to Nice’s in-house media after the final whistle. “I am grateful for the years at this club and for the chance to end my career here,” he said. “The most important thing was to finish with the team in a safe position.” The French Football Federation confirmed the match result through its official channels, with no disciplinary incidents reported by match referee Benoît Bastien.

Implications and Next Steps

Nice will now prepare for the 2024-25 season with a largely unchanged squad structure. Club sporting director Florent Ghisolfi indicated that recruitment will focus on younger defenders to replace Dante’s minutes. Further updates on squad planning will be provided at the club’s scheduled end-of-season review in mid-July. Dante’s retirement aligns with a broader trend of experienced defenders extending careers into their forties in European leagues, supported by improved medical and recovery protocols documented in UEFA medical reports.

This is Dante Williams for Global1 News, reporting from Johannesburg. 🇿🇦