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Maldini was arguably the best defender of all timeIt has been rightfully observed that everything has a shelf life, but it’s surely harder for sportspersons to see their fame and livelihood slip away in their mid-thirties. Some retire, others move to smaller teams, but then there are a chosen few like Shane Warne, Gianluigi Buffon, and Paolo Maldini, who only seem to improve with age.The following piece analyzes five more players likely to join the pantheon in the coming years, always looking to evolve to counter the vagaries of age and continue playing in a mesmerizing fashion.
#5 Carlos Tevez (Boca Juniors/Argentina)
The Argentine went on to play a critical role in Juventus’ near-treble campaign last year, emerging as a combative presence at the tip of the attack, frustrating defenders in a league widely noted for its quality of defending. However, personal reasons led him to seek a return home to Boca Juniors, where he will be expected to trouble the score keepers on a regular basis.
Having spent the past 2-3 years on the fringes of the Argentine national team, a firing Tevez may well force a rethink for Gerardo Martino, given his passion on the pitch and the fact that Argentina, for all their talents, have never really found the perfect combination in attack.
The move home may well be a stroke of genius for the former Manchester City forward, given the lower emphasis on defending in South America, and the fact that Tevez is already used to the South American physicality. Add to that his work rate and Tevez might just succeed without the same quality of service he had at Juventus.
Far from having disappeared from the national team, Tevez may just have found his way back with this switch. Boca fans should rightfully expect a goal rush this season.
#4 Jordi Alba (Barcelona/Spain)
No mention of Barcelona’s attacking prowess can be made without mentioning Jordi Alba’s marauding runs down the left flank. The youngest of our selections, at only 26 years of age, Alba’s maturity gives us good reason to believe his abilities will not diminish with age.
As compared to other attacking left-backs, Alba has good vision to spot a pass and plays in a matured manner. He uses his offensive ability as a tactic rather than a stock weapon, clearly understanding that his most important job is to defend. His ability to tune into the action on all sides of the pitch is another asset, and Barcelona fans will recall multiple occasions of him tracking back quickly to stop a developing attack in time.
The above factors give us good reason to believe that as Alba loses pace with the advent of age, his intelligence will cause him to retreat in a more defensive role, with his passes ensuring that offensive fluidity remains unaffected. Not only would such an occurrence prove a sterling tribute to his reading of the game, but also ensure that no stone remains unturned in defence for club and country.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal)
A player that surely needs no introduction. Despite having had a stop-gap start to the season by his own stratospheric standards, Cristiano has gone on to become Real Madrid’s joint top scorer in the small matter of six seasons at the club. With a mix of fearsome pace and raw power, along with an X-factor of free-kicks unseen since David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo has successfully terrorized defenders both at the club and the national level.
Like Beckham, the 30-year old’s biggest asset is undoubtedly his self-confidence, allowing him to create scoring opportunities from the hardest of situations. A return to Manchester United has widely been mooted, with no doubt on his ability to succeed.
Ronaldo may keep up his record at all levels if moved to center forward soon, to compensate for his impending loss of pace. It is no surprise that Real have been less shy to move him, given that the man might lose effectiveness on the wing in the coming years.
However, Rafael Benitez is rumored to be considering giving Ronaldo a more central role, a role he has (occasionally) held for Portugal with some success. In these conditions, a move to PSG (also rumored), themselves looking to replace Zlatan Ibrahimovi, does seem to make sense.
#2 Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich/Germany)
From being a wonder kid at Schalke to a goalkeeping colossus with Bayern and Germany today, Manuel Neuer is undoubtedly to goalkeeping what Adam Gilchrist remains to wicket-keeping in cricket: a game-changer. The fact that he was a finalist for the Ballon d’Or last January is a testament to his ability.
Under the astute tutelage of Pep Guardiola, Neuer has taken the goalkeeping philosophy of playing a high line to a new level, often coming to the half-line when Bayern attacks. The fact that the same leads to very few errors shows his capability to read the game, with imitators like Marc-Andre ter Stegen failing more often than not.
Neuer’s calm and sharp reading of the game, coupled with his ability to organize his defence quickly, will keep him away from age-related issues for some time, probably allowing the German to retreat into a more traditionalist, Buffon-like approach in his later years. His sharp reflexes, intelligence and commanding personality should suffice to address any other problems.
Although, knowing the German’s talent, one must not rule out the possibility of him transforming into a midfielder (indeed how he started in football) in his later years. An interesting storyline worth watching out for.
#1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina)
Like numerous other lists and polls, ‘The Flea’ tops this list as well. Apart from being the rocket fuel to Barcelona, and to a lesser extent, for Argentina, with his dribbles and goals, Messi is also notable for his role in build-up play, a side seen more fully when Alejandro Sabella played him behind the striker in the 2014 World Cup.
Having moved back to his original position on the right flank with the arrival of Luis Suarez at Barcelona, Messi has brought a creative spark to the role normally not associated with a winger. Whether out wide or in a more inside position, the Argentine remains a dangerously creative threat for any opposition.
It is in this role that we envisage the future of Messi, spraying passes to the front three in his advancing years, with the odd dribble to join in as a fourth attacker, befuddling the opposition back four with regards to marking duties.
Whatever the cost, if such a move allows us to witness magic on a daily basis for a few more years, it’s surely worth it.
