Pepê

Following his move to Vitoria, Pepê's current-season form is down 30% on last season (Season 20→14), while his Rating eased 53→44. His peak season for form remains 2021/22 (Season 41).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Cuiaba	16	1	3	6.87	—	—
2025/26	Gremio	14	0	0	6.5	—	—
2025/26	Vitoria · 15th	13	0	0	6.53	44	14
2024/25	Gremio · 14th	33	1	0	6.83	53	20
2023/24	Gremio · 2nd	18	1	1	6.96	63	22
2022/23	Cuiaba · 16th	30	1	0	6.98	64	23

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 3 earlier seasons in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthBall-winning Defensive midfielder

Pepê is a 28-year-old defensive midfielder at Vitoria, rated 45.7 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 184th of 350 on scout potential in the Serie A. An experienced operator, he has been a rotation option this season (49.3% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 4.6 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Pepê.

Judged on this season alone, Pepê graded 18 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 15th of 18 of the 18 defensive midfielders in the Serie A, on 0 goals, 0 assists and 4.595 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 20 → 14). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2021/22.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 46, 10th of 18 of the 18 defensive midfielders in the Serie A. At 28 Pepê is in his prime years, and a market index of 13 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2021/22 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2021/22Holding levelBreakout: 2021/224 clubs

Current potential10th of 18 defensive midfielders · Serie A · 14 apps Current season15th of 18 defensive midfielders · Serie A · 14 apps 15th-best defensive midfielder in the Serie A 184th in the Serie A · potential 10th-highest potential defensive midfielder in the Serie A

45.7

Ratingi

10th of 18 defensive midfielders

17.7

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

49.3%

Minutes

rotation minutes

4.6

Def. actions / 90

solid defensive volume

Output in context · Vitoria finished 12th of 20 · a mid-table side

Apps

4.6

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

4.6 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 2 clean sheets across 14 appearances.

Strengths

Defensive volume. 4.6 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.

Watch points

Game time. Only 49.3% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 45.7, Pepê carries the 10th-highest potential of the defensive midfielders in the Serie A of 18 — though on just 14 appearances this season, so the standing rests on a small sample. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (4.6 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %49.3%

Available fixtures14 of 30

Goals / 900

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900

Defensive actions / 904.595

Player flow

Goal involvements0

Shot conversion %0

Shot accuracy %100

Dribble success %25

Cards / 900.541

Foul involvement / 905.541

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~22), then tapers with age. At 28, Pepê sits on 13, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Pepê's projected Rating — 45.7 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among defensive midfielders in the Serie A with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Shots on target1

Shots1

Passing

Assists0

Chances created3

Passes305

Possession

Successful dribbles2

Dribble success25%

Duels won51

Duels won %54.3%

Fouls won19

Defending

Tackles23

Interceptions8

Blocks3

Fouls committed22

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards3

Red cards1

Transfer history

€1.5M total transfer fees · 6 moves

CCuiaba(on loan)Feb 2026 – now

VitoriaFeb 2025 – Feb 2026

GremioJan 2023 – Feb 2025€ 1.5M

CCuiabaApr 2021 – Jan 2023

Flamengo(back from loan)Jul 2019 – Apr 2021

Portimonense(on loan)Jul 2018 – Jul 2019

Flamengountil Jul 2018

About Pepê

João Pedro Vilardi Pinto is a 28-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for Vitoria, born on January 6, 1998 in Rio de Janeiro, standing 177 cm tall. He is from Brazil. Vitoria currently sit 12th of 20 in the Serie A.

This season

In the current season, Pepê has made 14 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 666 minutes, averaging a 6.8 match rating over his last 5 rated games, with 3 yellow cards. Though primarily a defensive midfielder, he has also lined up in attack this season.

When Pepê plays, Vitoria's record this season is 1W-2D-2L.

Recent matches

August 15, 2026: 3-1 win away at Ceara (45 minutes, 6.9 rating)
August 9, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs Fortaleza EC (70 minutes, 6.6 rating)
July 17, 2026: 0-2 loss away at Juventude (90 minutes, 7 rating)
April 4, 2026: 0-2 loss at home vs Ceara (58 minutes, 6.6 rating)
March 21, 2026: 0-0 draw at home vs Sport Recife (45 minutes, 6.9 rating)

Pepê's next match is on October 19, 2026, when Vitoria face Corinthians away in the Serie A.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates Pepê at 45.7 with a Season form score of 17.7, ranking 184th of 350 defensive midfielders in the Serie A. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 20 career titles — among them the Gaúcho 1 and the Recopa Gaúcha. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 8 recorded seasons, Pepê has totalled 179 club appearances with 9 goals and 6 assists for 5 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2021/22, with 34 appearances for Cuiaba.

Pepê's career has also included time at CCuiaba, Gremio, Flamengo and Portimonense.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Also this season

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Vitoria finished 12th of 20 · a mid-table side

Strengths

Watch points