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Professional sport is a weird place. Success requires physical fitness and mental agility. A long career in sport is a test of endurance. That is why even the longest sporting careers generally end at most in the late thirties. In football, many goalkeepers end up playing a couple of years into their forties but their reflexes slow down and even the sharpest players fail to sustain the ability to perform at a professional level.
The older the player, the less likely he or she is to compete professionally. Therefore, to be even trusted to be in a matchday squad is some feat. Some of the players on this list did actually play while setting the record but some were forced into it by the circumstances around them. Some were honoured for their contribution and named in the squad for an ovation from the stands and still, others decided to play until their legs gave up!
Let take a look at the oldest footballers to have made a professional matchday squad:
#5 Sir Stanley Matthews (50 years, 5 days)
Sir Stanley Matthews is considered one of the most skilful footballers of all time. The Englishman enjoyed a professional football career for over 35 years. He began playing at the age of 15 and retired at the age of 50.
Sir Matthews believed that he ought to have continued playing for at least two more years but decided to end his playing career. He had two spells at Stoke City, where he also played in the youth teams and had a long spell with Blackpool.
A Ballon d'Or winner in 1956, Sir Matthews won a solitary FA Cup with Blackpool and finished his career with no Top Division titles. His legacy lives on to this day despite a lack of trophies.
#4 Kazuyoshi Miura (50 years, still active)
'Kazu' or King Kazu is the oldest active professional footballer in the world. Miura began his career at the age of fifteen in Brazil and played for South American giants Santos. He since represented clubs on four continents.
His most notable spell was the eight years he spent at Kawasaki in the JLeague 1 in the 1990s. His current spell with JLeague 2 side Yokohoma FC is his longest stint at any club. He also appeared for Genoa in Italy and Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia. The veteran scored a brilliant 55 goals in 89 games for Japan; a goal to game ratio of 1 in 2 games.
He broke the record for the oldest professional goalscorer in March this year. The record had been set in 1965 by Sir Stanley Matthews. He recently signed a contract extension at club Yokohoma and shows no signs of retiring.
#3 Neil McBain (51 Years)
Born in 1895, McBain was a Scottish International who appeared for Manchester United, Everton and later Liverpool before retiring for the first time in 1931 while at Watford. He had begun his playing career at Ayr United in Scotland.
The Scotsman served Watford as Player-Manager from 1927 till 1937. At the end of World War II and with official football resuming, McBain joined New Brighton in the English Football League.
McBain played most of his career at half-back which is a something along the lines of a modern Defensive Midfielder. In March 1947, New Brighton had a major injury crisis and had no goalkeepers. McBain was forced to return to the playing field, this time as a goalkeeper at the age of 51 years and 120 days. This appearance set the Football League record for the oldest player in a match. The record still holds today.
He did not play again that season and was later sacked from New Brighton due to the side being at the bottom of the table.
#2 Dave Beasant (55 Years)
The former England International keeper began his professional career in the 1970s and was a stalwart in the Wimbledon side of the late 1980s. His goalkeeping skills stood him in good stead for 340 games before he left the Dons. His travels took him to Newcastle United and Chelsea for whom he played 133 times in the early '90s.
Spells at notable clubs including Tottenham and Fulham followed and Beasant called it a day at the age of 43 in 2004. Ten years later he decided to appear for Non-league side North Greenford United.
He joined Stevenage in the Football League as a goalkeeping coach and with his son Sam Beasant injured, he was drafted into the matchday squad at the age of 55. Beasant did not actually feature in the match but made the news nonetheless.
#1 Salvador Reyes (71 years)
Salvador Reyes was a Mexican legend who played most notably for Chivas or CD Guadalajara in the 1950s and 60s. An international who played 59 times for his country, Reyes is still Chivas' top-scorer.
Reyes played in three World Cups for Mexico and was a part of the early years of the NASL in the USA where he played for the San Diego Toros. Reyes worked in management till the 1980s and also played the role of Sporting Director for Chivas USA in the MLS. In 2008 at the age of 71, Reyes was honoured by his club.
As a part of the occasion, he was named in the squad and started the game for them against Pumas (UNAM). He was substituted soon after and a resounding ovation followed. He might not have actually played for the side much, but it still counts as an official appearance.
That means the record for the oldest player worldwide to appear in a matchday squad will take some beating!
