The age-defying stalwarts of world football
The history of football is littered with players who defied age and logic while still performed at an age that was almost double of their younger counterparts.
Although, there are not many players like that in English football but in Italy and Spain, there are plenty. Perhaps, such is the high paced tempo of English football that it just doesn’t give the old legs any chance.
But, the likes of Scholes and Giggs are still setting the Premier League alight with their mesmeric performances. Following is a list of such players who despite being in their late 30s are/were the best at their trade:
Filippo Inzaghi:
Pippo came off the bench in the tie against Real Madrid during the Champions League and turned the match on its head with two clinical finishes, proving for the millionth time in his career that how phenomenal his talent is. Before the game, Jose Mourinho
had said that the only player from Milan side he fears was Flippo Inzaghi. Pippo proved that he wasn’t too far off the mark with that comment.
At the age of 37, Pippo is still playing with the passion and zest of a teenager. His acceleration off the mark is still sublime and finishing as clinical as ever. He is the greatest predator in the box the game has ever seen and yet there are no signs of
his talents fading.
Javier Zanetti:
Another sublime talent going strong in the twilight of his career is Javier Zanetti who plays for Inter Milan. Since signing on for the Nerrazuris in 1995, he has been at a class of his own for more than 15 years now.
In the semi-final against Barcelona, by stopping the unstoppable Messi he showed all and sundry that even at this age he is miles ahead of the rest. At 37, he still is one of the best left backs in the world let alone Italy.
Ryan Giggs:
Only turned 36 this year and still is the first name on Sir Alex’s team sheet if fit. Only last year, he won the PFA player of the year award suggesting that even in the presence of the talents like Torres, Gerrard, Lampard, Dorgba and Rooney in the Premier
League, he still pulls the strings masterfully for Sir Alex’s midfield.
Although, his terrorizing pace has slowed down a yard or two over the years but his ability to pick out a killer pass is still there. His assist in the game against Manchester City last season proved the fact to deadly effect.
Paul Scholes:
At the age of 35, the wily old ginger head is still one of the best passers of the ball in the midfield. Despite the presence of stalwarts like Gerrard, Barry, Milner and Lampard in the England squad, Capello’s request to Scholes to come out of retirement
and play for his three lions at the World Cup speaks volumes about the talents of this midfield maestro.
What puts Scholsey above the rest is his loyalty. One of the few players in the world who does not have an agent and is still earning peanuts as compared to his counterparts but he is happy at the club and has spent his entire career at Manchester United
after passing out from United Academy with that golden class of 1992.
Paolo Maldini:
Maldini is one player who requires no introduction and any effort in praise of this legend is a disgrace to him as no words can ever be enough to explain the talents of this greatest left back in the world. He spent a staggering 25 years in the Milan first
team starting out as a left back and finishing at the centre of the defence in the later part of his career.
To his credit are 5 Champions Leagues, 5 Italian Super Cups, Five European Super cups, 2 Intercontinental Cups and a World Cup along with Upmteen Scudettos. He guided Milan to Champions League glory in 2007 just one month short of his 39th birthday.
When he retired at 40, he was the best defender in Italy for that season.
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