Ranking the 10 highest league goalscorers above the age of 34 this season
Many fine goalscorers, especially since the turn of the century, have graced the game of football over the years.
Some of them are still going strong for club and country, despite being on the wrong side of 30. These players have been performing at a high level for many years now, and have shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. They have scored goals in the grandest of stages against the most formidable of opponents, and are still doing so.
On that note, here's a look at the ten most prolific goalscorers in league football this season who are aged 34 and above:
#10 Pedro (Lazio) - 4 goals
Pedro made news this summer when he became the first player in four decades to cross the Roma-Lazio divide. Roma released the out-of-favour Pedro from his contract even though he had a deal with them until 2023.
The 34-year-old winger scored only six times across competitions in his only season with AS Roma in 2020-21. However, he has hit the ground running at Lazio, scoring four times and providing two assists in 12 league games.
PEDRO SCORES AGAINST HIS FORMER CLUB 👀
Lazio double their lead within the first 20 mins of the Derby della Capitale 🔥 https://t.co/SK6LwhuBWE
Pedro first made his name in the all-conquering Barcelona team under Pep Guardiola in the late 2000s and early 2010s. He then plied his trade with Chelsea for five years before moving to Italy.
#9 Olivier Giroud (AC Milan) - 4 goals
After almost a decade in the English top flight, Olivier Giroud embarked on a new challenge by moving to AC Milan this summer.
The 35-year-old Frenchman has hit the ground running with the Rossoneri. Giroud scored a brace against Cagliari on his home debut before netting in Milan's next two home games as well. That made Giroud only the second player in almost three decades to score in his first three home games for the Serie A giants.
2 - Olivier Giroud is only the second AC Milan player to score in all his first three Serie A home games since 1994/95, after Mario Balotelli in 2013. Fox.
#MilanTorino
The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has also sizzled for France and is closing in on 50 goals for his nation.
#8 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) - 4 goals
Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably one of the finest players to have graced the beautiful game.
During a prolific two-decade-long career for club and country, Ronaldo has scored goals and won big titles galore. The 36-year-old has made an immediate impact on his return to his old stomping ground at Manchester United this summer.
Ronaldo has scored nine times across competitions, with four of these strikes coming in the Premier League. However, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner drawing a blank, Manchester United have lost their last two league games at home by a combined 7-0 margin.
🔴 Cristiano Ronaldo has done it again for Man United 👏 https://t.co/DrznUqPDc6
Nevertheless, the Portugal captain will look to lead his club's resurgence and relieve the pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
#7 Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo) - 5 goals
Iago Aspas has been a prolific goalscorer for Celta Vigo since his debut for the club more than a decade ago. Across two separate stints, the centre-forward has scored 171 goals in nearly 400 games across competitions for Vigo.
Aspas has been a prolific scorer in La Liga, scoring at least 14 goals in each of his last seven campaigns in the competition. The 34-year-old looks set for another goal-rich season, having already netted five times in 13 league games.
⚽️ The trademark Iago Aspas goal™
📸 The trademark Iago Aspas photo™
🙇♂️ @aspas10 🙇♂️
#LevanteCelta https://t.co/x8tDTTZIRG
Aspas will look to play a key role as Vigo strive to fare better in La Liga this season than they did last campaign.