5 great footballers who could be retiring in 2021

#3 Wayne Rooney

(Age-35)

Wayne Rooney

Derby County are currently last in the 24-team EFL Championship, the second tier of the English football pyramid. They are captained (and coached) by Wayne Rooney. Yes, the same Wayne Rooney who won five Premier League titles and one Champions League title with Manchester United, the same Wayne Rooney who is the record goal-scorer for both England and the Red Devils.

One of the greatest-ever attackers in England's storied football history, it is certainly a strange position that Rooney finds himself in at 35. But to be honest, he chose this path himself.

500 - Should Wayne Rooney play in Derby County's Championship meeting with Fulham tonight, it'll be his 500th appearance in English League football. Thread. (1/13) pic.twitter.com/hb3L58g7uv

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 21, 2020

His career choices post United have been strange, to say the least. While his great rivals such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo continued to shine at top clubs, he first went to Everton at just 32 and then to the MLS.

Nevertheless, it seems inexorable that Rooney will transition to a full-time managerial position sooner rather than later.

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#2 Franck Ribery

(Age-37)

Franck Ribery

When Franck Ribery decided to say au revoir to Bayern Munich after a truly historic spell, he said that he had two more seasons left in his tank. If that be the case, that would set his retirement date sometime in 2021.

Since then, the great winger who struck up one of the greatest wide-player partnerships with Arjen Robben at Bayern, has done his legacy no harm at Fiorentina. In 27 games for La Viola, he has scored thrice and assisted five goals, but that does not mean he intends to go on forever.

With Fiorentina being at best a middling club at the moment, one cannot see what could motivate the former French international to go on with them, especially after the lofty heights he hit with the Bavarians.

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#1 Gianluigi Buffon

(Age-42)

Gianluigi Buffon

Yes, we all get his eternal love for the Old Lady; yes, we get that he has never won the Champions League with them despite finishing runners-up with them thrice. However, we still do not get why the 40-something Gianluigi Buffon, one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, is happy being a mediocre, bit-part player for Juventus.

Buffon says that it is his passion for the game that is preventing him from calling time on his career, but is this prolonged spell past his prime doing any good to his great legacy? The jury is out on that, but one thing seems likelier every season: he may want to go on until the club actually tells him to stop!

Francesco Totti on Gigi Buffon: “Gigi wants to play until he’s 50. But he can play for two or three more seasons.”

— Bolarinwa Olajide (@iambolar) April 17, 2020

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Special mention: Andres Iniesta (though it is likely he could go on for a while longer.)