Top 5 Football Legends Who Retired As Veterans

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Top 5 Football Legends Who Retired As Veterans

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Martina Alcheva

Football Legends Who Retired As Veterans – Top 5

Football Legends Who Retired As Veterans? Who are some of the most popular players who decided to hang up their boots after age of 35? With Messi and Ronaldo’s retirement pending, we talk about the Top 5 football legends who retired after as veterans.

Football legends tend to retire when they are well into their veteran years, we have a Top 5 list of the ones who retired after they were 35 years old. Lionel Messi’s most recent acceptance speech was an eye-opener for everybody.

We are all starting to realize that both he and Cristiano Ronaldo are entering that final stage of their careers. This got us thinking about other football legends, the ones who are among the best in history. Not all of them retired too old, but most decided they wanted to keep playing after the 35-year-old barrier.

We bring you the Top 5 Football Legends Who Retired As Veterans.

Top 5 Football Legends Who Retired As Veterans

5. Pele

Considered by many as the best player in history, King Pele was stubborn when it came to staying active. He lived such a wholesome football career, that he obviously didn’t want to stop. After living his golden years during his prime with Brazil and Santos, Pele executed his retirement plan.

His destination was the United States’ NASL, where he played for the New York Cosmos. By the time he was ready to quit, he was only days away from turning 37 years of age. He retired as the legend that he remains today.

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4. Diego Maradona

After living his better years in the ’80s decade, Diego Maradona got into the ’90s filled with controversy. His career took a wrong turn after that doping incident in the 1994 World Cup, it took him a while to recover from that. When he came back to the game, Diego played for three more years in Argentina. The legendary playmaker retired at the age of 37, he played for his beloved Boca Juniors when that happened.

3. Johan Cruyff

The Dutch legend was also a very stubborn player, he didn’t want to leave the football pitch as he thoroughly enjoyed himself. In fact, Johan decided to keep playing as a veteran just to prove he could still win league titles past his prime. With 37 years old, Johan won the Eredivisie and the Dutch Cup on the year of his retirement.

To this day, the former Barcelona star remains the most revered player in the history of the Netherlands. He went on to become one of the most successful managers of all-time as well, but he was just as great when he was a player.

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 2. Franz Beckenbauer

The man who is considered Johan Cruyff’s greatest rival, also retired when he was quite old. With one of the most successful careers in football history on his shoulders, Franz was still active past his 35 years of age. He decided to follow in Pele’s footsteps and play for the New York Cosmos.

When he retired, he was already 38 years old. Beckenbauer still remains as one of only three defenders who won the Ballon d’Or. His legend in German football still lives on to this day.

1.  Alfredo Di Stefano

The man whom both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo wish they could emulate as seasoned veterans. Alfredo Di Stefano’s sporting career has been one of the most incredible that anybody can remember. As the first massive football star in the world, Don Alfredo lived his best years as a player during his ’30s.

After a brilliant career in South American football, Di Stefano made the jump to the Spanish La Liga. He arrived when he was already 28 years old, but his better years were still ahead of him. Di Stefano retired as an Espanyol player when he was 39 years old and as one of Real Madrid’s greatest legends.

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