We are just four months away from the FIFA World Cup due to be held in Brazil. The showpiece event will feature 32 teams all round the globe with one country reaching the pinnacles of glory. While some players will lit up the event with their mesmerizing skills and dazzling ability on the pitch, there will be however players who will don their jersey for the last time in a major International Competition before they hang up their boots. So we here at Soccersouls decided to provide our readers with five of those players who will play their last World Cup come in June.
5. Frank Lampard
The 35-year-old midfielder has made 103 appearances for England scoring 29 goals and undoubtedly remains one of the players from England’s golden generation who never won the World Cup. Lampard though will perhaps continue in club colours with Chelsea at-least for another couple of years. Chelsea’s top goal scorer however isn’t quite assured of a starting eleven place in England’s squad but make no mistake he will be an integral part of the squad if the Three Lions make it big in Sambaland.
4. Steven Gerrard
Yet another of England’s brightest gems, Liverpool captain will also lead England’s charge in Brazil. It will be interesting to see where Roy Hodgson plays his skipper and given his newly found dynamism in defensive midfield, it might be the perfect ploy for the Three Lions’ midfield which needs solidity on the pitch. Can the thirty three year old invigorate something special in country colours? Why not given his form for Liverpool this campaign.
3. Andrea Pirlo
Italy’s Mozart in midfield and one of the finest midfielders of this generation, Pirlo will also be donning his jersey for perhaps the last time for Italy. The 34 year old genius was one of the key players in the 2006 World Cup triumph for the Azurris and the gem for the squad who finished runners up in Euro 2012. Juventus’ set piece specialist also will be integral to Italy’s chances in Brazil and make no mistake he will give it his all to go out with a bang.
2. Gianluigi Buffon
Yet another Italian and one of the best goalkeepers ever will be making his last World Cup appearance this year. Buffon has made 138 appearances for Italy and also lifted the World Cup in Germany, 2006 and will also like Pirlo would like to go out with a bang. A brilliant shot stopper, brilliant with his positioning and possessing wonderful reflexes will be under the Italy sticks in Brazil.
1. Miroslav Klose
The 35-year old currently is Germany’s joint highest goal scorer with Muller and is only a couple of goals short for the maximum goals in the World Cup, a record which belongs to Brazil’s Ronaldo. Its sad that a player of Klose’s stature never got going for any of the clubs he played in, but whenever it has been the World Cup, he has always hogged the limelight. The 35 year old might not play again in the 2018 world Cup and by the looks of it his career is already reaching its twilight.