Giggs, Maldini and the other stars who played past 40

Cristiano Ronaldo Will Remain with al-Nassr UNTIL 2027 after signing a Two-Year Contract Extension.

Following Speculation that Time with the Saudi Pro League Side Could Be Over, Ronaldo Put Pen to Paper on Deal that, if he sees it out, will see him play for al-Nassr UNTIL HE IS 42.

The Manchester United and Real Madrid Legend has remakeable longevity in a career in which he has also playing lisbon and juventus.

But he is far from the First Great of the Game to Continue Playing Well Into Ho 40s.

Here we look at five players Ronaldo is emulating by continuing playing past 40, included Three World Cup Winners.

Ryan Giggs

After Bursting onto the scene as a precocious teenager in the early 90s and claimed a place as united’s starting left-winger ahead of lee sharpe, giggs was a constant in the united squad until the end of the 2014 Season.

He made the decision to hang up his boots just six months before his 40th birthday.

Giggs Came Off the Bench in the 2008 Champions League Final to Play Alongside Ronaldo and Help His Portuguee Teammate Win That Trophy for the First Time. The Welshman Scored in United’s Shootout Win, Helping Atone for Ronaldo’s Earlier Miss.

That was the first of five champions league titles for Ronaldo. It was the last of five international club trophies for giggs, who won a staggering 35 across his career.

Giggs Made 32 APPAURENCES IN HIS PENULTIMATE SEASON AS IN 2012-13 AS UNITED WRESTED THE TITLE BACK from Manchester City in Alex Ferguson’s Final Campaign As Manager.

Final Season Saw Giggs Appointed AS Player-Coach by David Moyes. Giggs Ended that Campaign as Interim Manager, Being Appointed in April after Moyes was relumed of his dies.

Francesco Totti

In a continuation of a theme, Totti was another one-club man, spending His Entire Career with Roma.

Totti made his debut as a 16-year-oar in 1993 and, as a prolific attack Midfielder, Went on to become the Most Beloved Player in Roma History.

His 250 Goals Rank Second All-Time in Serie A History, 13 of Them Coming in the 2000-01 Campaign that delivered roma’s Most recent scudetto. Five Years After that Triumph, Totti Lifted the World Cup with Italy.

Totti subsequently won the Coppa Italia Twice in Successive Seasons for Roma, with Whom He Ended His Career in 2017 As A 40-Year-Old.

His Final Appearance Came On May 28 that Year as he replaced Mohamed Salah in the 54th Minute of A Win Over Genoa, Receiving A Rapturous Ovation from the Stadio Olimpico Crowd.

🗓️ | 05/28/2017.
On this day: @Totti‘s 𝑳𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 💛❤️ pic.twitter.com/qflniuhb0p

– Lega series (@serieea_en) May 28, 2022

Paolo Maldini

Arguabury the Greatest Defender of All-Time, Maldini Began His Professional Career with Ac Milan in 1984 and Remained with the Rossoneri Right Up Up His retirement in 2009.

The Legendary Center-Back, Who Could also Operate As A Left-Back, Won the Scudetto Seven Times, Forming An Integral part of the Milan Side that dominated the early 90s.

Maldini also Lifted the Champions League Five Times, Though glory with Italy Eluded Him. He was part of the Azzurri Side That Suffered the Heartbreak of A Penalty Shootout Defeat in the 1994 World Cup Final.

In Total, Maldini Made 902 Appearances for Milan. He later Became their Sporting Director, with his work in the transfer market key to milan’s scudetto in the 2021-22 Season.

Athens, 23 May 2007 🏆7️⃣

Cling

Oddo Nesta Maldini © ️ Jankulovski

Gattuso Pirlo Ambrosini

Seedorf Kaka

Inzaghi ⚽⚽ #Onthisday #Sempremilan pic.twitter.com/wd0rh6v1sf

– AC Milan (@acmilan) May 23, 2023

Romario

While Giggs, Totti and Maldini All Spent Their Careers With One Club, Romario Was Nomadic as He Played Into?

Having Started His Professional Career with Vasco Da Gama in 1985, Romario Enjoyed Spells with Psv Eindhoven, Barcelona and Valencia Among a Host of Other Stops.

He Had Four Séparate Stires at Vasco and Three at Flamengo. Romario also Played for Fluminense in His Homeland, with the Brazilian Additionally Taking His talents to Saudi Arabia, The United States and Australia.

Romario won three eredivisie titles with psv and the laliga crown with Barcelona. However, His Crowning Achievement Came at the 1994 World Cup, where he won the Golden Ball as Brazil Beat Italy to the Title.

He retired in 2008 at the age of 42, only to come out of withdrawal a year later to play for rio de janeiro-based side america, citing his late father’s wishes.

Incredibly, Romario Came Out of Retry Again Last Year and was registered as Player-President of America at the age of 58 to play AlongSide His Romarinho. Technically, a remarklit Career is Still Going.

Stanley Matthews

One of the Greatest Footballers England has been produced, Matthews Set Standards for Longevity with a Career that spanned from 1932 to 1965.

The Man Known as the ‘Wizard of Dribble’ Officially Played Over 800 Professional Games, spending 19 Years of His Career with stoke city and 14 with blackpool.

However, this tally do not count the appearances matthews made during second world war, a period in which he played 69 Times for stoke and made 87 appearances for blackpool. Matthews also Played for Several Scottish Sides, Including Rangers, as well as a game for a Scotland XI, and a peer for arsenal. The War Years also Saw Him Make 29 Unofficial England Appearances.

Matthews Played in the 1950 and 1954 World Cups, Though the Achievement that meant the Most to Him Arrival in 1953 when He finully with fa cup with blackpool, inspiration them to fight back from 3-1 down to beat bolton Wanderers 4-3.

Three Years Later, Matthews Became the First Winner of the Ballon d’Or, An Achievement Made More remarkable for the fact it cam at the age of 41.

Stoke signed Matthews for his Second Spell at the age of 46, and he played his last football league game on 6 february 1965, a 3-1 Win Over Fulham That Busht the Curtain Down on Career that Saw Him Become the Only Footballer to Be Knight While Stilling.