World XI of players who are/were 30+ and still/were at their peak

[ZahaWilf]

With Casemiro being 31 and having such an influence on this team and the likes of Modric at 37 also remaining an effective player for Madrid, who would make your world XI of past and present players aged 30+ that were relatively still at their peak.


My effort:


-------------------------Buffon-------------------------------

Alves------------Thiago Silva-----------Maldini-------------Cole


------------------------Casemiro--------------------------

-----------------Xavi-------------Modric------------------


Messi--------------Benzema----------------C. Ronaldo

 

[WeePat]

The amount of Casemiro inspired threads is getting out of hand

We get it, he’s had a humongous impact on United.

 

[Malkovich]

Inzaghi was MotM in a CL final at age 34

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

I don't think being at/close to peak at 31 in this era is too notable. For the last 15 years or so, i'd say you have to look at 34/35+ players for that.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

I don't think being at/close to peak at 31 in this era is too notable. For the last 15 years or so, i'd say you have to look at 34/35+ players for that.

Agreed. Athletes take their craft too seriously and there is too much technology and nutrition for players to really fall off if they don’t want to.

35 is the new 31 basically

 

[Andersonson]

Zanetti and Giggs

 

[The Boy]

Teddy Sheringham

 

[lysglimt]

One who stands out for me is Fabio Quagliarella - he just seemed to get better, the older he got. He left for Sampdoria when he was 32 and scored about 80 league goals for them, in 160 or so matches during the next 5 full seasons.

And I actually think Edwin aged better than Buffon - at 40 when Buffon left Juve, he was a liability. At 40 when Edwin left us, he was still rock solid

 

[BazzaBear]

Zlatan should be in there, surely? If anything he was better post 30.

 

[SilentStrike]

Matthaus had better longevity than Xavi
I’d pick Zanetti over Alves too

 

[SilentWitness]

One who stands out for me is Fabio Quagliarella - he just seemed to get better, the older he got. He left for Sampdoria when he was 32 and scored about 80 league goals for them, in 160 or so matches during the next 5 full seasons.

And I actually think Edwin aged better than Buffon - at 40 when Buffon left Juve, he was a liability. At 40 when Edwin left us, he was still rock solid

Di Natale too had a similar run at that age.

 

[IRELANDUNITED]

Surprised nobody has said Giggs or Scholes yet. They were arguably better in their 30s than 20s

 

[KirkDuyt]

30 year old Robben (in 2014) was fecking amazing. He was pretty much world class until he retired (not counting his comeback at Groningen).

Old man Van Persie back at Feyenoord is the near retired player I love most though. Of course, it was "only" the Eredivisie, but the class he still oozed and the way he lead us to a 6-2 clobbering of "that" Ten Hag Ajax side, the grey temples, the way he treated the youngsters. Fecking Phenomenal. I love him.

 

[Tom Cato]

I know he doesnt get into the First XI, but Franck Ribery surely makes the bench here

 

[Mas Risky]

I don't think being at/close to peak at 31 in this era is too notable. For the last 15 years or so, i'd say you have to look at 34/35+ players for that.

Yeah, this thread will be more interesting if the age were raised to 36 at minimum.

My old geezer team would be:

GK - Edwin Vandersar
DF - Dani Alves
DF - Lothar Matheus
DF - Paolo Maldini
DF - Javier Zanetti
MF - Luka Modric
MF - Fransesco Totti
MF - Ryan Giggs
FW - Zlatan Ibrahimovic
FW - Mirosav Klose
FW - Cristiano Ronaldo

I don't actually remember their actual age, but I always associate them as a senior citizen in the football world, except maybe Cristiano Ronaldo, but only because I watched him extensively when he was our prodigy. I don't include Lionel Messi because he doesn't look old at all, or at least not yet.

 

[LARulz]

I think Scholes has to be in there. It felt like he had a second career (like Giggs) but felt Scholes got more plaudits then

 

[Cutch]

Zanetti was ridiculous. He looked and played the same for about 20 years

 

[slipperyshoe]

Pavel Nedved was pretty class into his 30’s. Picked up a ballon d’or at 31.

 

[harms]

Surprised nobody has said Giggs or Scholes yet. They were arguably better in their 30s than 20s

No way Giggs was better in his 30’s than he was at his electric peak in early 20’s. Scholes probably was though.

 

[Zehner]

If we talk about 'peak' as in 'at the height of their ability' I don't think Messi and Cristiano should be there as both of their peaks occured in their early to mid 20s. Ibrahimovic, Benzema, Thiago Silva and Modric are very good shouts.

If it's only about the best players over 30 or even in a higher age, there are many more. Robben and Ribery for example or Iniesta. We had quite a few world class players with relatively prolonged careers recently.

Think the most interesting would be an eleven of players approaching 40.

 

[led_scholes]

Van de Saar.
Vardy perhaps?

 

[simplyared]

Zlatan should be in there, surely? If anything he was better post 30.

No chance! You obviously haven't followed his earlier career in Italy.

 

[Kanu]

No chance! You obviously haven't followed his earlier career in Italy.

I have and Zlatan was better in his 30s when he became more effective. Before that he was more of a luxury player. Great technique and skills, but not decisive enough.

 

[Chief123]

The amount of Casemiro inspired threads is getting out of hand

We get it, he’s had a humongous impact on United.

I agree. We need more about Chelsea and Potter.

 

[Gavinb33]

Zidane in 2006 had an incredible WC at 34

 

[arnie_ni]

If we talk about 'peak' as in 'at the height of their ability' I don't think Messi and Cristiano should be there as both of their peaks occured in their early to mid 20s. Ibrahimovic, Benzema, Thiago Silva and Modric are very good shouts.

If it's only about the best players over 30 or even in a higher age, there are many more. Robben and Ribery for example or Iniesta. We had quite a few world class players with relatively prolonged careers recently.

Think the most interesting would be an eleven of players approaching 40.

Ronaldo was a major factor in real winning 3 CLs in a row and he was in his 30s then.

 

[WeePat]

I agree. We need more about Chelsea and Potter.

Oh god. Please no.

 

[Blackwidow]

Wouldn't it be fine to first make an actual best over 32 (better than 31...) team?

 

[Zehner]

Ronaldo was a major factor in real winning 3 CLs in a row and he was in his 30s then.

Yeah but there's no way that was peak Cristiano.

 

[ROFLUTION]

No Pirlo?

 

[PigeonEscobar]

I’d go with players that were arguably better in their 30’s than they were when they were younger.

Van Der Sar

Zanetti
Maldini
Thiago Silva
Cafu

Senna
Xavi
Modric

Sheringham
Zola

Benzema

I think Scholes wasn’t necessary better in his 30’s, just played a different role.

Fabio Cannavaro has always been world class, Drogba and Dennis Bergkamp could’ve been slightly better after 30.

Giggs was far better as a rapid winger than he was later in his career.

Maybe Laurent Blanc? He was 32 when France won the 98 world cup, but he sure was no Thiago Silva.