In recent months, there have been indications that Felipe Perrone would retire this summer.
Now, it is official. The icon of modern water polo and the 2018 Total Player Award winner has announced that he will end his illustrious career after the World Championships in Singapore.
He spoke about his career at the press conference in Barcelona, attended by many of his former and current teammates, coaches, friends, etc. His key message was:
“Passion, dedication, and joy. For 30 years, water polo has taken me further than I ever dreamed.”
At 39 years old, Felipe Perrone is set to compete in the World Championships for the 13th time, extending his own record for the most appearances. Over the course of a quarter of a century on the biggest stage in water polo, Perrone has won six medals at the World Championships.
World Championships debut at age of 15
Between 2001 and 2025, he missed only one edition of the World Championships (in 2017) because he had to pause after changing his Sports Nationality.
Perrone made his WCH debut at the age of 15, winning 12th place with Brazil in Fukuoka 2001. Two years later, he also represented Brazil, which finished in 13th place.
Between 2005 and 2013, Perrone played at five editions of the Worlds, wearing Spain’s cap, and won one silver (2009) and one bronze medal (2007).
After 2013, he decided to play for Brazil again and competed at the 2015 World Championships with the South Americans. But, following the Olympic Games, Perrone changed his sports nationality once again and re-joined the Spanish national team.
He missed the 2017 Worlds in Budapest because he still didn’t have the right to play for Spain. Perrone returned to the WCH stage in 2019 in Gwangju, winning silver with Spain. In 2022, the series of four championships in four years started. Spain became the world champion in Budapest 2022. In the following year, the Spaniards won bronze and repeated that success in Doha in 2024.
If Spain prolongs its medal streak in Singapore and reaches the podium, Perrone will become only the second male water polo player with seven World Championships medals. He has a chance to equal Andro Buslje’s record. The former captain of Croatia won seven consecutive medals between 2007 and 2019.
Five European Championships medals, two Pan American trophies…
As for the other major tournaments, Perrone contributed to Spain winning its first-ever European Championship title in Zagreb in 2024. Besides that gold, he has won two silver and two bronze medals at the continental championships.
Perrone clinched one silver and one bronze medal in the World League with Spain and one bronze with Brazil. He also has three World Cup medals in his treasury (one gold and two silvers). Representing Brazil, he won two silver medals at the Pan American Games.
In total, Felipe Perrone has won 19 medals at world and continental major tournaments. Only an Olympic podium is missing.
In Brazil, he played for Regatas Guanabara and Botafogo. His European career began in Barcelona in 2003. For most of his career, he wore Barceloneta’s cap with the number 10. He also played for Savona, Pro Recco, and Jug Dubrovnik.
Perrone lifted the Champions League trophy three times (with Pro Recco in 2012, with Barceloneta in 2014, and with Jug in 2016). He won one LEN Euro Cup (with Barcelona in 2003).
The 2018 Total Player ended his club career by winning the bronze medal with Barceloneta in the Champions League. A few weeks earlier, Perrone lifted his 17th Spanish League trophy.
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