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Functional diversity is an emergent approach in ecology that has been applied globally to better understand the relationships between organisms and the environment. However, assessing the functional diversity of freshwater fish is a challenge for scientists. Aiming to summarize the evolution of scientific knowledge on fish functional diversity, we performed a systematic review of the literature published from 1945 to 2021 using the Web of Science. Based on the 101 articles reviewed, we found that publications about functional diversity of fishes have increased over time, mainly in Neotropical, Indomalayan and Palearctic regions. Most studies were conducted in lotic ecosystems, especially to assess environmental impacts such as biological invasions and land use. Functional diversity has been assessed mainly by morphological traits that reflect feeding and locomotion dimensions. Functional richness was the most common index used in the studies. Our findings suggest that political neglect and lack of investments may hamper the research development in several places. The missing information about the functional traits of many species may limit the use of the functional approach. We also highlight the need for the incorporation of functional diversity in conservation programs once functional diversity is a key facet of biodiversity to maintain freshwater ecosystem functioning. Resumo A diversidade funcional tem sido avaliada principalmente através de traços funcionais morfológicos que refletem as dimensões da alimentação e locomoção. A Riqueza Funcional foi a métrica mais comumente usada nos estudos. Esses resultados sugerem que a negligência política e a falta de investimentos podem dificultar o desenvolvimento de pesquisas em diversas regiões. A falta de informações sobre os traços funcionais de muitas espécies limita o uso da abordagem funcional. Destaca-se também a necessidade de incorporar a diversidade funcional em programas de conservação, uma vez que a diversidade funcional é uma faceta chave da biodiversidade para manter o funcionamento dos ecossistemas de água doce.