Timeless XI: The legends who keep going

Here are certain players who hold a special place in the heart of football fans. These guys have been around for so long that it’s almost impossible to imagine football without them. The timeless players are stalwarts of the game and deserve to be held in special regard. We’ve compiled a team of the most everlasting player currently still plying their trade in world football.

GK: Gianluigi Buffon – Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon

In a professional career spanning 19 years, 696 Italian league appearances, a record 139 caps for the national side and most importantly 13 major trophies including the World Cup, the UEFA Cup, four Scudettos and many more, Gianluigi Buffon has instilled himself as the best goalkeeper in the world.

Even this season, he is a model of consistency, keeping 15 clean sheets in Serie A thanks to his incredible ability to organise a defence effectively and to prevent goals from set-pieces with his astonishing ability to read the play. Gianluigi has also always been very confident coming out from set pieces and this season is no different as he’s registered a claim success of 90%.

RB: Javier Zanetti – Inter Milan

Few footballers attain the god-like status that is enjoyed by Javier Zanetti. The 40 year old Argentinian has made 851 appearances for the club in a truly astonishing career. Nicknamed “El Tractor” because of his strength and stamina, the right-back has never changed haircut and looks as young now as when he started his career. A true great of the game.

CB: Lucio – Palmeiras

It’s strange to call Lucio timeless as he’s 35 and still playing in the Brazilian Serie A but Lucimar Ferreira da Silva has notched up 19 major honours in his career as he enjoyed success with Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and of course Brazil. Known for his strength, distribution and aerial threat at set pieces, Lucio is a complete centre-back and a name that many football fans will do well to forget.

LCB: Carles Puyol – Barcelona

Carles Puyol

What is there left to say about Carles Puyol. The inspirational defender has won literally everything he could have during his prosperous shift in the Barcelona first team. We could discuss in minutiae the ins and outs of his development in play and career in general but this article goes a long way to explaining why we all love “the caveman” so much.

DM: Juan Sebastian Veron – Estudiantes

Yes, he’s still going! The Argentinian legend is now 39 and after a mostly unhappy spell in England and a quick loan to Inter Milan, decided to come home in 2006 and has remained ever since. He now occupies a role as a player and director of sports. La Brujita (the little witch) has enjoyed a career as one of the best footballing brains to ever approach the game; his measured approach and devastating long range shooting was always a joy to watch.

http://youtu.be/AFIlfX8vGXc

DM: Andrea Pirlo – Juventus

People have been raving about Andrea Pirlo’s rebirth at the 2012 European Championship but in reality his form enjoyed a huge upturn as soon as he left AC Milan to join Antonio Conte’s Juve. The manager pushed Pirlo further back and let him instigate attacks dictate the play while instructing Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal to do the grafting in midfield. In our eyes, Pirlo will always be remembered for the impeccable reverse pass which led to Fabio Grosso’s goal against Germany in the 2006 World Cup. Beautiful.

http://youtu.be/YVznc0Qo0EI

LAM: Ryan Giggs – Manchester United

Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs OBE holds the record number of appearances for Manchester United, the record number of appearances for any player in the Champions League and during his time at Man United, he has seen 15 different managers at Man City & played 37 Manchester derbies. The man is quite simply a force of nature and this infograph we built describes it well.

RAM: Francesco Totti – Roma

Another one-man club, Francesco Totti is a remarkable footballer. Now 37, he continues to be a starter for the Rome club and continues to put in sumptuous performances, this season alone he has registered 5 goals and 7 assists in 16 appearances in a side which until very recently was challenging for the Serie A title. This volley against Sampdoria tells you all you need to know about his main forte, his technique.

http://youtu.be/G0GyYaI6DoU

CAM: Juan Roman Riquelme – Boca Juniors

Juan Roman Riquelme

A majestic yet perennially underrated footballer. Riquelme is seen by many as the last true playmaker, the only remaining classic number 10. His game-controlling passing and vision has ripped apart some of the best defences in the world and being name Argentine footballer of the year four times is no mean feat given their talent pool.

ST: Luca Toni – Verona

By no means the best or the oldest striker still plying his trade at the top of European football but there is something incredibly endearing about the fact that the 36 year old target man is still banging them in after one of the most nomadic careers in modern football. Luca has played for 17 different professional football clubs in his career and this season has 13 goals in 23 appearances for Hellas Verona. However, his finest moment will always be the tribute video made in his honour by German comedian Matze Knop. Catch, surreal and wonderful.

http://youtu.be/CWEQaooHKGM

ST: Raul – Al Sadd

Raul

In many ways it’s quite sadd (I’m not sorry) that Raul Gonzalez is finishing his career in Qatar after being such a legend of the modern game but it doesn’t devalue his achievements for Real Madrid and Spain. Here is a brief list of the records that Raul currently owns as a footballer: