That age has been unlocked since long, at least in Serie A.
On other shores the numbers have been no different, consistency is exceptional.
Doh, of course he is... like that was the point, uh.
Again, that's obviously an unassailable fact.
I think that's more to do with physical nature of the game. Football game last 90 mins every matches in very high intensity in top level, and the pitch often covers long distance, so technique and experience alone is not sufficient to sustain. For example if we look at Rooney, who's game is more rely on his physical edge (pace, strength, stamina etc), he no longer a top player at age 30-31, and no longer quite up to PL standard at age 33, and he retired at age 35. Even if we look at other top technical player, like Messi, his form drop a lot this season at age 33 too, and we have other skilful players like L.Ronaldo and Ronaldinho dropping drastically just when they are about to enter age 30. But there are some players like Sheringham who is still doing a fine job in England even at age 34-38 though, as his game never rely on pace, strength and stamina throughout his career, and its more on decision making etc, so he is one of very few exceptions. Of course, there is also Ibra.
Great post. It’s criminally overlooked but the sheer mileage in his legs is what makes everything he’s doing even more supernatural. We talk about players who started early burning out like Torres, Owen, Rooney etc but Ronaldo started as young as them and is still going - seemingly as good as ever. If you research the players with the most appearances in football, you’ll find that only 3 or 4 outfield players in the history of the sport have played more games than him. He’s already surpassed giggs in career games (even Giggs played most of his latter years as a rotational player and wasn’t playing every minute of every game like Ronaldo). I think the other overall players ahead of him are mostly goalkeepers and even the outfield players with more career games than him played maybe a few hundred of those games at a lower level unlike Ronaldo who has been at the pinnacle of the sport throughout.
Exactly. That's another aspect I forgot to mention. All but the most professional players wane in their early 30s when they start out as teenage prodigies, and especially attackers that rely on power and pace. The ones you mentioned were shells of their former selves once their pace went. GOAT candidates like R9 and Ronaldinho also faded away early because they and their bodies couldn't handle the dedication required and/or the physical strain of playing the game.
; Wes was very good in 2006-08 but don’t know if he would make this team. Who were the other RBs he’s played with? 
Immobile plays for Lazio, mate.
Be interesting to see how Juventus get themselves out of the debt they have incurred.
Commercially it’s been success though, they have attracted much more followings after the signing for sure.
