Daniel Alves, the peculiar Brazilian fullback, will be the grandfather of this no less strange World Cup in Qatar. If Tite finally counts on him in Brazil’s debut on the 24th, the former player of Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, PSG and Sao Paulo would play a World Cup match at the age of 39 years and 202 days – he turns 40 in May-.
It’s not bad at all, but it falls short when compared to the Cameroonian Roger Milla brand. There was already doubt about the authenticity of his birth certificate when he was one of the stars of that surprising Cameroon at the World Cup in Italy in 1990. Because the man who had already been named the best African player of all time was 38 years old. At his age his role was that of a substitute, but even coming off the bench he had time to score four goals before losing to England in the quarter-finals. It didn’t stop there.
Four years later, at 42 years old, Milla took part in the World Cup in the US, becoming the oldest footballer to score a goal against Russia in the final stages.
Dani Alves has some time to match Milla, although he could settle for emulating Sir Stanley Matthews, who was England international at 42 years and 104 days and continued to play professionally until he turned 50.
At his only World Cup participation, that far-right nickname ‘the dribble magician’ was already 35 years old. It was in Brazil and he only played one game, that of Zarra’s famous goal scored by the first Matías Prats. Dani Alves is joined by a contemporary, Chelsea defender Thiago Silva, captain of the canarinha and just a year younger than the winger.
The World Cups have a certain borderline atmosphere that separates the old from the new, of events where football opens and closes stages. In Switzerland, numbers 1 to 22 were established in 1954, and in Mexico, bills of exchange and cards were released in 1970. No major news of this type is being announced for Qatar, but we will certainly see new numbers emerge at the same time that the light of the brightest stars of recent years will go out, as they have been
Lionel Messme and Cristiano Ronaldo.
At the age of 35, the Argentine star is playing his fifth World Cup, a record that began to be forged in 2006 when, ten days after his 19th birthday, he took part in the World Cup in Germany and even scored a goal against Serbia-Montenegro, who won the made him the youngest Argentine player to score at the highest level. Thus, he surpassed the characteristics of the Argentine idol par excellence, Diego Maradona, although it did not help him take his place in the hearts of Argentine fans.
Rosario’s, they blame him that his performance with the national team never reached the level of his game at Barcelona. Messi’s record still misses the World Cup and it seems he doesn’t have the conditions to win it in what will be his last chance, after winning the Copa América.
Portugal’s potential doesn’t help either
Cristiano Ronaldo lift the World Cup at the age of 37. It will also be the fifth World Cup tournament for a Ronaldo in low hours who is already seen as little less than written off at his current club, the same United that launched him to stardom.
The two best footballers of recent times will probably end their careers with a place in their window. That emptiness should not cloud their careers; After all, two geniuses like Di Stéfano or Kubala didn’t make it either.
Given the potential of the team around him,
Karim Benzema Yes, he could take advantage of the last chance offered to him on his return to the French team after being separated for six years over a murky matter of sexual videos and blackmail.
Unlike Ronaldo, who was exactly the one who surpassed him during his time at Real Madrid, Benzema at the age of 34 arrives at this event at the best moment of his career, with the Ballon d’Or under his arm.
His teammate
Luka Modric He faces this World Cup at the age of 37 and leads the always competitive Croatia.
The white midfielder will be one of those set to retire from the big events, although the level he continues to demonstrate with his club suggests he still has the ropes to further extend his record.
At the age of 34
Robert Lewandowski He is another illustrious for whom the World Cup in Qatar will practically be a hello and goodbye.
The World Cup baggage of the Poland national team’s top scorer and Golden Boot of the past two seasons can be summed up in three matches in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. he demonstrated at Bayern, and continues to ratify at Barcelona.
It will also be the last World Cup for two of his former teammates, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (36) and fellow goalscorer Thomas Müller (33), German football icons. Luis Enrique presents a very rejuvenated team, but he will also say goodbye three times, those of Busquets (34 years old), the last survivor of the championship group in South Africa, Jordi Alba (33) and Azpilicueta (33).
Three other names that are the watchword of football in their countries are also facing their latest World Cup appointment. The Uruguayans Luis Suárez (35), Diego Godín (36) and Edinson Cavani (35) will defend the glorious light blue shirt for the last time at a World Cup. If Uruguay and Spain are two classics in this tournament, Wales is an anecdote. You have to go back to 1958 in Sweden to find their only participation in a final phase. The anecdote will help a misunderstood illustrious man like Gareth Bale at 33 say he played at a World Cup. This will also be the last World Cup for two illustrious goalkeepers, Costa Rican Keylor Navas (35), who stood out in Brazil. in 2014 and the Dane Kasper Schmeichel (36).
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
