Dante Bonfim Costa Santos is set to hang up his boots this summer at the age of 42, ending his reign as the oldest player across Europe’s top five leagues. The Nice defender will then transition into coaching, returning to his former club Bayern Munich to take charge of their reserve side.
Dante celebrates a victory with Nice.
The career of the Brazilian center-back (born October 18, 1983, in Salvador de Bahia) is about to take a dramatic turn. After stints with Juventude (2002–04), Lille (2004–06), Charleroi (2006–07), Standard Liège (2007–09), Borussia Mönchengladbach (2009–12), Bayern Munich (2012–15), Wolfsburg (2015–16), and Nice (2016–26), he will retire this summer to begin his journey on the sidelines.
“I really enjoy watching how young players interpret the game. Besides that, I have it in mind to become a coach, and it helps me train the future Dante as a coach: I know what they want, what bothers them… It’s a daily learning process,” the Brazilian international told MARCA in 2024.
According to Florian Plettenberg of Sky, the contract is already signed. Dante will manage Bayern’s U23 team in the German fourth division, and also train the club’s youth team next season—a first for the club and a sign of great appreciation.
His major influence, Pep Guardiola, who coached him at Bayern, remains a key reference: “He’s the best coach I’ve ever had. I used to tell him: ‘Your way of training makes all of us want to become coaches.’ He reinvents himself year after year. At Barcelona he played without a ‘9’, and now he has one (Haaland) who is two meters tall.”
Saving Nice—who are currently four points above the relegation playoff zone—will be his last major challenge. After 751 matches, 29 goals, 28 assists, and 13 titles, Dante’s playing career will come to an end. His treble-winning season with Bayern in 2012–13 under Jupp Heynckes (Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League) will remain a highlight.