Cristiano Ronaldo turned 35 last month – but the footballing superstar is still performing at the very highest level.
Unfortunately, the Juventus star will hang up his boots in the near future as his legs will start to feel heavier and performances will slowly begin to dip.
Ronaldo has pretty much always been the best player of his age and is now unquestionably the top 35-year-old in the world.
But what about every other age?
15-year-old – Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund)
The latest Borussia Dortmund starlet is set to be moved into their first-team following his prolific form at youth level.
Moukoko has scored an incredible 31 goals in 18 games for Dortmund’s Under-17 team and also earned a call-up to the Germany Under-19 squad last month.
Will Moukoko get to the top of the game?
Will Moukoko get to the top of the game?
16-year-old – Jude Bellingham (Birmingham City)
The teenager, likened to Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, became the youngest ever scorer and youngest to appear for the Blues this season – smashing the previous 49-year record set by England legend Trevor Francis.
He has been linked most strongly to Man United this summer and was spotted at the club’s training base just last week.
Bellingham,16, has had a superb breakthrough season at Birmingham
17-year-old – Ansu Fati (Barcelona)
The Spanish starlet remarkably broke onto the scene earlier this season and became the youngest player to represent Barcelona in the Champions League at just 16 years and 321 days.
Fati has shined this season with four goals and one assist in 16 matches and the winger looks set to dazzle at Camp Nou for years to come.
18-year-old – Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal)
The Brazilian joined the Gunners in the summer and has made quite the impression in north London, with 11 goals already in his debut campaign.
The youngster is rivalled by Real Madrid wonderkid Takefuso Kubo as the current king of his age group, with the Japanese midfielder also impressing for Los Blancos at such a young age.
19-year-old – Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool have all been keeping tabs on the 19-year-old starlet, who has been in stunning form this season and only just edges his teammate Erling Haaland for this slot.
32 appearances have brought a return of 16 goals and 18 assists, and Sancho even beat Lionel Messi to become the first player in Europe’s top five leagues to reach double figures for both stats.
20-year-old – Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus)
Although he hasn’t had as good as a campaign as he did with Ajax last season, De Ligt still has frightening potential and he will surely be the best defender in the world at some point in the near future.
He has delivered some commanding displays for Juventus this campaign but the best is yet to come. He needs to watch out, however, as Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz will surely be rivalling him for his age group slot soon.
21-year-old – Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Unquestionably the best player in his age group at the moment – though Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold is on his tail.
The French World Cup winner, who tops the Ligue 1 scoring charts with 20 goals, would walk into any side in world football at the moment and it’s frightening how good he can become.
22-year-old – Marcus Rashford (Man United)
Before his injury this season, Rashford started to hit the best form of his career but after being overplayed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he paid the price.
If he comes back as he good in the superb form he was, in he will surely be the best in the world at his age, but Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez could rival him.
23-year-old – Dele Alli (Tottenham)
It’s easy to forget that Alli is just 23-years-old because he has already been on the scene for such a long time.
The Spurs playmaker is just one goal away from 50 Premier League goals but he will be hoping to he can get his hands on some trophies soon.
24-year-old – Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
The Leipzig ace will be one of the hottest properties in the summer transfer market thanks to his red-hot form in front of goal this season, and his relatively low price tag.
Werner has 27 goals and 11 assists in 35 games for his club this season, and reports have claimed he can be snapped up for just £51million this summer if a deal is agreed by the end of April.
Werner proved his class with superb performances in RB Leipzig’s Champions League wins over Tottenham
25-year-old – Raheem Sterling (Man City)
Although the City winger has not been his usual explosive self in recent weeks, on top form he is arguably one of the best players in the world.
The England forward already has a staggering 77 Premier League goals to his name and he will be hoping to get back to top form soon.
Sterling’s form has slightly dipped in recent months
26-year-old – Harry Kane (Tottenham)
The England captain remarkably already has 136 goals in the Premier League and if wasn’t for his plight with injuries he would be well on his way to matching Alan Shearer’s record of 260 in the division.
Kane has been Spurs’ most important player in recent years and the north London club will be desperate to keep hold of him amid rumours he could leave for Man United or abroad.
27-year-old – Sadio Mane
Even the great Messi said he felt it was unjust that Liverpool winger Mane did not win the Ballon d’Or – which may be one of the biggest compliments the Senegalese will receive in his career.
In the last two seasons Mane has been terrific, netting 36 goals across the two campaigns, and he would be a worthy Player of the Season this term if it isn’t ended by the coronavirus.
Even Messi said he felt it was unjust that Liverpool winger Mane did not win the Ballon d’Ore
28-year-old – Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
The towering Dutch centre-back has become the best defender in the world since his move from Southampton in 2018.
Not many would have predicted just how good he would become and unfortunately it means it’s bad news for Kevin de Bruyne, who narrowly misses out due to the Liverpool defender.
Virgil van Dijk has once again been an imperious figure for Liverpool
29-year-old – Eden Hazard (Real Madrid)
The Belgian magician’s dream move to Real hasn’t worked out as he would have liked with a string of unfortunate injuries.
However, on top form Hazard is simply unplayable and one of the best forwards in the world and he safely occupies this position as the best 29-year-old.
Hazard’s dream move to Real has not been as good as he’d hoped
30-year-old – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
The Gabon ace has been consistently brilliant since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in 2018, netting a staggering 61 goals in 92 appearances for the Gunners.
The north London club will be hoping to tie down the striker to a new deal soon, with his current contract expiring in 18 months.
Aubameyang has hit 61 goals in 92 appearances since joining the Gunners from Borussia Dortmund in January 2017
31-year-old – Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
The Polish striker has continued his remarkable goalscoring record for Bayern this season with another 39 goals this season so far.
His electric form shows no signs of slowing and he just about gets the nod over Man City striker Sergio Aguero.
Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski is still as good as ever
Who else? Messi is still the best player on the planet at 32 years old and he may well hold this title next year.
Other notable mentions for this slot come in the shape of Karim Benzema and Luis Suarez – two strikers who have dominated the game for years on end.
Messi is without doubt the best player in the world – even at 32
33-year-old – Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
The legendary Los Blancos defender has made 444 LaLiga appearances for the club he now captains, winning three Champions League titles in that time.
At 33, there can be no doubting that he is best player of his age group, though Bayern Munich’s legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer runs him close.
Ramos is still performing at a very high level at the age of 33
34-year-old – Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
The Ballon d’Or winner from 2018 has been an absolutely incredible signing for Real since signing from Tottenham in 2012.
Modric, despite being less effective this season, has still played a pivotal role for Los Blancos, with four goals and three assists in 22 LaLiga appearances.
Modric has been an incredible signing for Real Madrid
35-year-old – Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
It’s been another stunning season for Ronaldo, who has scored 21 goals and added three assists in 22 Serie A matches.
The ex-Man United winger’s hunger to dominate the game shows no signs of slowing and it would not surprise anyone if he continued to defy expectations in the coming years.
Cristiano Ronaldo has ridiculous stats over the last decade
36-year-old – Ben Foster (Watford)
This choice will no doubt raise a few eyebrows, but when comparing the Watford ace to other 36-year-old’s who are still playing, he comes up trumps.
Foster has been superb all season for the Hornets and the Premier League club wouldn’t even be in a fight for survival if it wasn’t for his brilliant shot-stopping and imperious displays between the sticks.
Foster has been a standout performer for Watford this term
37-year-old – Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria)
Remarkably, the veteran forward is still performing at the highest level at the age of 37, with nine goals and two assists for Sampdoria this campaign.
The Italian marksman was one of the names who was always linked with a move to the Premier League but never made the move – but what a career he has had regardless.
Quagliarella has been playing in Italy for decades
38-year-old – Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan)
The legendary striker made the move back to Milan in January after his contract ran out with MLS side LA Galaxy.
And he has a good start to life with the Rossonerri, with three goals in his opening eight matches.
Ibrahimovic has scored three league goals for AC Milan since returning to the club in January
39-year-old – Maxi Rodriguez (Newell Old Boys)
The Argentine forward netted 15 goals in 57 games for Liverpool and he is now plying his trade with Newell’s Old Boys for the second time in his career.
He is having a decent season too, with nine goals so far this campaign before he surely hangs up is boots.
Argentine forward Rodriguez netted 15 goals in 57 games for Liverpool
40-year-old – Florent Balmont (Gijon)
The central midfielder has spent his whole career in France with five different clubs but Dijon will surely be his final stop.
Balmont, unknown to most of the footballing world, is the last remaining outfield player who is still playing at the top level at 40 years old.
Central midfielder Balmont has spent his whole career in France
41-year-old – Claudio Pizarro (Werder Bremen)
Incredibly, the Peruvian striker is still playing for Werder Bremen at the age of 41-years-old.
It’s not often you see strikers continue to ply their trade at such an age, but respect to the former Chelsea and Bayern frontman.
Peruvian striker Pizarro is still playing for Werder Bremen at the age of 41 years old
42-year-old – Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
In what is surely his last season in football, the ex-Italy captain is somehow still playing for Juventus after returning to the club from PSG last summer.
Buffon is the most capped player in Serie A history and he will surely go down as one of the greatest players in history.
Gianluigi Buffon returned to Juventus after leaving Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
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