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They say football is for the young and the hungry. It is for those who are prepared to do all they can to stay on top and never flinch when facing a challenge. Today, however, we are not looking at a list of youngsters. We are looking at five players who are on the wrong side of thirty but continue to be ravenous for more success.
So, without further ado, let us take a look at the
5 most valuable players aged over 32 in the world
Stats via: Transfermarkt
#5 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) - €25 million
Real Madrid signed Karim Benzema in the summer of 2009, alongside the likes of Xabi Alonso and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Frenchman from Lyon has outlasted every single acquisition in that window, and is still going stronger than ever.
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Following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale were tipped to become the primary goal scorers for Los Blancos. Bale, for one reason or the other, failed to live up to the task, leaving Benzema to do it all by himself.
Benzema did not cower in front of the monumental task and took everything in his stride. Since 2018/19, the player has not only been the best player at Real Madrid, but he has also been one of the very best in La Liga.
Last season, Benzema scored 23 goals in La Liga and only missed out to Lionel Messi in the Pichichi race. In the UEFA Champions League, too, he was the best player on the pitch for Real Madrid — registering Los Merengues' only goal against Chelsea in the first leg of last season's semi-finals.
#4 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) - €25 million
Over the last three years, we have seen Arsenal crash and burn in the Premier League and in European competitions. While no Arsenal player has been outstanding, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has certainly been one of the better outfield players.
The versatile Gabon international has been one of the first names on the Arsenal team sheet for a while now and that did not change in the 20/21 campaign. He featured in 29 Premier League and 8 UEFA Europa League games for the Gunners, netting a total of 13 goals across the two competitions.
This season, too, Aubameyang will get the opportunity to prove his mettle, and he must take the opportunity with both hands to maintain his €25 million valuation. Notably, his current contract runs until June 2023.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) - €45 million
Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most decorated footballers the world has ever seen. The Portugal star has won every trophy in club football, but he continues to be as hungry as ever.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 36, is the oldest player on our list, but that has not kept him from racking up numbers very few in the world can match. After cementing his place as Real Madrid’s best ever striker, Ronaldo joined Juventus and has been their leading scorer for three consecutive seasons.
Last season, Ronaldo appeared in 44 games for the Bianconeri, registering a whopping total of 29 goals on the board. His unmatched exploits helped him to a Golden Boot, beating second-placed Romelu Lukaku (24 goals) in the process.
#2 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) - €60 million
Very few in the world have managed to hold a candle to the greatness of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski is certainly a member of that exclusive club.
The Poland international has been Bayern Munich’s primary goal-scorer since 2014 - the year in which he signed from rivals Borussia Dortmund - and the trend is unlikely to change in the next couple of years. He has been a crucial part of every Bundesliga title Bayern has won since his arrival - seven consecutive titles - and he was one of the pivotal pieces that propelled Bayern Munich to their UEFA Champions League win in the 2019/20 season.
The Bayern striker is once again being linked to the likes of Chelsea and even Real Madrid for a possible move in the summer. However, considering he still has two years on his contract, we are unlikely to see the sharpshooter step away from the camp of the Bundesliga champions just yet.
#1 Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain) - €80 million
Despite being 34-years-old, Lionel Messi continues to be one of the hottest properties on the market, and this list goes on to prove how great he has been in keeping his demand intact. On his day, the former Barcelona man, who has just completed a move to Paris Saint-Germain, can single-handedly beat any team in the world, and his €80-million valuation in August 2021 goes on to demonstrate the reputation he carries.
After making his debut at the age of 16, Messi quickly garnered popularity in the Barcelona camp. He went from being a slender footballer with quick feet to the best dribbler who was impossible to dispossess in a matter of a couple of seasons, and Barcelona knew they had a gem on their hands.
Over the course of his Barcelona career - which saw a premature end in 2021 - he accumulated 35 major titles and countless personal accolades. The 2021 Copa America winner also won the Ballon d’Or a whopping six times at Barcelona and is set to win his seventh this year.
