5 best veterans in world football
Many players in world football defy age and continue to perform at the very highest of levels at the global stage. They age like fine wine and actually become better with age, dazzling audiences and confounding opponents with skill and expertise. Here is a look at the top five veterans in the world right now:
5. Aritz Aduriz
Aritz is experienced even by the standards of this list! At 37 years old, Aritz Aduriz has been defying critics and age alike for well over 5 seasons now! He has played for Athletic Bilbao for the majority of his career over three separate spells.
He had himself a freak season in 2016 and at 35, was selected as a striker for the Spanish National Side that represented the country at Euro 2016! Over the span of his career, he has scored over 150 goals for Athletic Bilbao alone, apart from his exploits for Mallorca and Valencia. Aduriz is not the most physical striker but is known for his aerial ability, courtesy his 6ft frame, and his positioning and finishing skills in the box.
Aduriz was instrumental in helping Bilbao to their first trophy in 31 years - the Supercopa De Espana! The trophy was contested over two legs and Aduriz scored a Hat-Trick in the first leg which led Athletic to a 4-0 victory. Athletic went on to claim the trophy with a 5-1 aggregate win and Aduriz was hailed as the harbinger of success.
At 34 and 35 years of age, Aduriz was the joint top scorer in the Europa League (In 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons) and was a finalist in the Europa League and Copa del Rey. While most people suffer from a decline in form with age, Aritz Aduriz has been a late bloomer who has, in fact, stepped up his game with the passing of age.