Footballers who played into their 40s
A look at the footballers who kept on going at the highest level into their fifth decade...
Gone are the days when footballers would retire at the age of 30.
Improvements in diet, conditioning and treatment have helped players extend their careers. Better pitches and equipment has also reduced the physical toll on footballers and these days, it is not so unusual for players to still be active in their late 30s.
And over the years, a small percentage have even continued playing at a high level into their 40s.
Here, a look at some of the most famous footballers who were still active and competitive in their fifth decade...
33. Essam El-Hadary
Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary became the oldest player in World Cup history when he featured for the Pharaohs against Saudi Arabia at Russia 2018.
El-Hadary was 45 years and 161 days old at the time. He retired from international football after the tournament, with 159 caps, but kept on playing until 2020 at club level and eventually hung up his gloves at the age of 47 to concentrate on coaching.
32. Donato
Donato was born in Brazil but spent most of his career in Spain, featuring in long spells at Atletico Madrid and Deportivo La Coruña.
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After two Copa del Rey wins with the Rojiblancos, the defensive midfielder went on to form part of the great Deportivo team which won La Liga in 1999/2000. He stayed at Riazor for 10 years, dropping back into defence later in his career, and retiring at almost 41. He also won 12 caps for Spain.
31. Gordon Strachan
After spells at Aberdeen, Manchester United and Leeds as a player, Gordon Strachan joined Coventry City in 1995 as assistant to Ron Atkinson.
The former Scotland midfielder ended up taking charge six months earlier than planned, in 1996, but also continued playing and made his final appearance at the age of 40 years, two months and 24 days in a 2-1 loss at home to Derby County in May 1997.
30. Jens Lehmann
Jens Lehmann spent five years at Arsenal between 2003 and 2008. The German goalkeeper was part of the Invincibles side which went unbeaten in the 2003/04 season and went on to make 199 appearances for the north London club in that time.
Lehmann ended his career in 2010 at the age of 40 following a two-year spell at VfB Stuttgart, but came out of retirement due to an injury crisis at Arsenal and became the Gunners' oldest player in the Premier League when he started in a 3-1 win at Blackpool – his 200th appearance for the Gunners – in April 2011.
29. Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips scored 30 goals in 38 Premier League games for Sunderland in 1999/2000 and won eight caps for England. He is also one of a select group to have appeared in the competition at over 40 years of age.
Phillips was 40 years, two months and 26 days old when he played for Crystal Palace in a 4-1 loss at home to Fulham in October 2013. In January 2014, he signed on loan for Championship side Leicester City and made another 12 appearances before retiring a couple of months before his 41st birthday.
28. Vitorino Hilton
A Ligue 1 winner with both Marseille and Montpellier, Vitorino Hilton was named in the competition's Team of the Year on four occasions.
The Brazilian centre-back spent a decade at Montpellier after leaving Marseille in 2011 and made his final appearance at the age of 43 years, eight months and 10 days in May 2021. Later, he signed a short-term deal with nearby Sete, but never did make an appearance there to a problem with his registration.
27. Marco Ballotta
Marco Ballotta spent 15 seasons as a goalkeeper in Serie A and although he was often not first choice for his clubs, he played 138 games in the competition.
Most of those came at Lazio and Modena, while he started for Parma in their Coppa Italia, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Super Cup wins in the early 1990s. Later, he became the oldest player to appear in the Champions League (43 years and 168 days) and also in Serie A (at over 44). He retired in 2008.
26. Fabio Quagliarella
Fabio Quagliarella had spells with Juventus and Napoli, but the former Italy striker is most associated with Sampdoria, where he spent eight seasons overall.
His goal against AC Milan in May 2023 saw him become the fourth-oldest player to score in Serie A and he was the seventh to net in 18 consecutive seasons. Released at the end of the 2022/23 season, his final match came at the age of 40 years, four months and four days.
25. Edwin van der Sar
Edwin van der Sar brought stability back to Manchester United in what had become something of a problem position for the club after Peter Schmeichel's exit in the summer of 1999.
The Dutchman spent six seasons at Old Trafford and became United's oldest player in the Premier League when he started in a 4-2 win over Blackpool in May 2011. Later that month, he became the oldest male player to feature in a European Cup final as United lost 3-1 to Barcelona at Wembley.
24. Pat Jennings
Pat Jennings had retired from club football shortly before his 40th birthday, following long and successful spells with Tottenham and Arsenal.
But the legendary goalkeeper came out retirement to feature in the 1986 World Cup for Nothern Ireland. In their final group game, he became – at that point – the oldest player to feature in the tournament as he completed the 90 minutes in a 3-0 loss to Brazil on the day of his 41st birthday.
23. Maxi Rodriguez
Best remembered for his stunning volley winner for Argentina against Mexico in the 2006 World Cup, Maxi Rodriguez played for Espanyol, Atletico Madrid and Liverpool before returning to his first club Newell's Old Boys in 2012.
After five years back at Newell's, the attacking midfielder spent a season at Peñarol in Uruguay but returned to the Rosario club to finish his career and eventually retired at the age of 40 in 2021. A farewell match was arranged for Maxi in June 2023 and former Newell's academy player Lionel Messi took part, on the day of his 36th birthday.
22. Carlos Valderrama
One of Colombia's greatest and most emblematic players, Carlos Valderrama appeared in three World Cups and won 111 caps for the South American nation.
South American Footballer of the Year in 1987 and 1993, Valderrama ended his career in MLS with Tampa Bay Mutiny (two spells), Miami Fusion and Colorado Rapids. His last official appearance came in 2002, at the age of almost 41, and in 2004 a tribute match was organised to officially draw the curtain on his career. Diego Maradona, Enzo Francescoli, Ivan Zamorano and Jose Luis Chilavert all took part.
21. Cuauhtemoc Blanco
One of Mexico's most talented forwards, Cuauhtemoc Blanco was capped 119 times and scored 38 goals for El Tri.
Blanco spent most of his career at capital club America and after bowing out with Puebla in a Copa MX triumph in 2015, he was allowed to play in one last match for the Mexico City giants in 2016, wearing the 100 shirt in a 36-minute cameo against Morelia. He was 43 years old. Blanco also played in a tribute match for Mexico against Israel in 2014.
20. Amedeo Carboni
An attacking left-back who won 18 caps for Italy, Amedeo Carboni spent nine years at Valencia in a successful era for the Mestalla club.
Carboni helped Valencia to two La Liga titles, a UEFA Cup, a UEFA Super Cup and a Copa del Rey title. He retired from football in 2006 at the age of 41.
19. Juan Carlos Valeron
Juan Carlos Valeron was an elegant playmaker for a number of La Liga sides and the Spanish national team in the 1990s and 2000s.
Best known for spells at Deportivo La Coruña, Atletico Madrid and Mallorca, Valeron started and finished his career at Las Palmas in his native Gran Canaria and made his last La Liga appearance in May 2016 at the age of almost 41.
18. Pepe
Pepe was born in Brazil but spent the early part of his career in Portugal and received citizenship in 2007.
The central defender, a three-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, was part of the Portugal side which triumphed at Euro 2016 and continued to play into his 40s with both Porto and the national team.
17. Pietro Vierchowod
A tenacious and physically imposing centre-back, Pietro Vierchowod is considered one of Italy's finest defenders and was in the squad which won the 1982 World Cup.
Though he did not play in that tournament, Vierchowod went on to win 45 caps and became Italy's oldest scorer in 1993, when he netted against Malta at the age of almost 34. After more than 500 Serie A appearances and successful spells with Sampdoria and Juventus, he wound down his career at Piacenza and retired in 2000 aged 41.
16. Peter Shilton
Peter Shilton retired from international football after the 1990 World Cup with a record 125 caps for England.
At club level, Shilton carried on playing until 1997 and was on the books at a number of clubs in those final years. Eager to reach 1,000 club appearances, he hit the landmark in a spell at Leyton Orient in the Third Division in December 1996 and retired at the end of the 1996/97 season at the age of 47.
15. Claudio Pizarro
Claudio Pizarro is the Peruvian player with most games and goals in European football and the striker spent most of his career in Germany.
Pizarro had two spells at Bayern Munich and five at Werder Bremen, with short stints at FC Koln and Chelsea as well. His final game for Werder came in June 2020, just a few months short of his 43rd birthday.
14. Joaquin
Joaquin Sanchez began and ended his career with long spells at Real Betis and retired at the end of the 2022/23 season, just a few months short of his 42nd birthday.
The winger won Copa del Rey titles in each stint with Betis, plus another at Valencia, and picked up 51 caps for Spain in a memorable career which also took him to Fiorentina and Malaga.
13. Alessandro Costacurta
Apart from a spell on loan at Monza early on, Alessandro Costacurta spent his entire career at AC Milan, winning seven Serie A titles and five Champions Leagues.
The centre-back, who 59 caps for Italy, turned 40 in April 2006 and went on to play one more season for Milan. By the end of his career, he had made over 650 appearances for the Rossoneri.
12. Dino Zoff
Dino Zoff made his Italy debut in 1968 as the Azzurri won the European Championship and captained the team to victory as a 40-year-old at the 1982 World Cup.
Zoff won 112 caps in all and played until the age of 41, winning six Serie A titles in an 11-year spell at Juventus, plus a UEFA Cup. He was also on the losing side in two European Cup finals with the Bianconeri and retired after the second one in 1983.
11. Rivaldo
One of Brazil's all-time greats, Rivaldo's best years came in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when he helped the South Americans to back-to-back World Cup finals and was a winner in 2002.
After leaving Barcelona in 2003, Rivaldo played for AC Milan, Olympiacos and AEK Athens, but kept on going and had spells in Uzbekistan, Angola and Brazil, where he played alongside his son Rivaldinho for Mogi Morim. He retired in 2014, but returned the following year – as he and his son both scored in a 3-1 win over Macae – and eventually bowed out at the age of 43.
10. Teddy Sheringham
One of the most intelligent strikers of his generation, Teddy Sheringham played a key role in Manchester United's treble triumph in 1999, coming off the bench to score the equaliser and assist the winner as Sir Alex Ferguson's side beat Bayern Munich in added time.
Sheringham also had two successful spells at Tottenham, where he was idolised by a young Harry Kane, and became the Premier League's oldest scorer during his time at West Ham. His last goal in the competition came at 40 years and 268 days. After leaving the Hammers, Sheringham spent a season at Colchester in the Championship before retiring at the age of 42.
9. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his retirement from football in 2023 following a remarkable and much-travelled career.
The Swedish striker played for some of Europe's top clubs – including AC Milan, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona and Manchester United – and ended his career following an injury-hit season in his second spell with the Rossoneri at the age of 41.
8. Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews did not only play into his 40s, he carried on until the age of 50, eventually hanging up his boots in 1965 following a second spell at Stoke City.
The legendary winger, who was born in 1915, featured in a testimonial match organised by Stoke and featuring a number of illustrious players at the time – including Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas and Lev Yashin.
7. Gianluigi Buffon
A World Cup winner with Italy and a legend at both Juventus and Parma, Gianluigi Buffon is one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.
Buffon began his career at Parma in 1995 and played until the age of 44, racking up close to 1,000 club appearances in that time and finally retiring in 2023 following a second spell with the Gialloblu. He also won 176 caps for Italy in an extraordinay career.
6. Roger Milla
Roger Milla was one of the stars of the 1990 World Cup, at the age of 38, scoring four times as Cameroon reached the last 16 of the competition.
Milla was back four years later to become the World Cup's oldest player at the time, and broke his own record as the tournament's oldest scorer as he netted against Russia. He finished his club career in Indonesia at the age of 46.
5. Romario
In pursuit of 1,000 career goals, Romario carried on into his 40s and reached the landmark while playing for Vasco da Gama in May 2007. However, the number is disputed as his tally includes goals in junior, friendly and non-official games.
A World Cup winner with Brazil in 1994, Romario announced his retirement in 2008 at the age of 42, before briefly returning the following year to play one game for America from Rio de Janeiro, a wish of his late father.
4. Javier Zanetti
After spells at Talleres and Banfield in Argentina, Javier Zanetti spent 19 seasons at Inter between 1995 and 2014, making over 850 appearances for the Nerazzurri.
The left-back, who also won 145 caps for Argentina, picked up five Serie A titles with Inter and was part of the treble-winning side in 2009/10. He retired in May 2014, just three months short of his 41st birthday.
3. Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti spent his entire career at Roma, rejecting a number of lucrative offers to move to some of Europe's biggest clubs, including Real Madrid.
Totti won just one Scudetto, two Coppa Italia titles and two Supercoppa crowns with the Giallorossi, but is revered by the Roma fans. A World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, the forward bade a hero's farewell to those supporters in May 2017 in a 3-2 win over Genoa at 40 years, eight months and one day old.
2. Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs made his Manchester United debut as a 17-year-old in 1991 and went on to rack up a record 963 appearances for the Red Devils.
The Welsh winger featured in all 13 Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson and eventually retired in May 2014, a year after the Scot's departure, at the age of 40.
1. Paolo Maldini
Paolo Maldini retired from international football in 2002 and never did win a trophy with Italy, but the legendary defender kept on playing with AC Milan until 2009 and won it all with the Rossoneri.
Maldini made his last appearance against Fiorentina in a 2-0 win in May 2009, at the age of almost 41. The stylish defender spent his entire career at Milan and after his final game, the club retired his number 3 shirt.
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Ben Hayward is the Weekend Editor of FourFourTwo. A European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.
