World's top five players over 30

When a player reaches the age of 30, he is commonly referred to being “past his peak”. A player’s supposed to “peak” between the ages of 24 and 27. However, some of the world’s best players are over 30, proving that age sometimes can have no bearing on your best years playing. Here are the world’s top 5 outfield players over 30.

5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

When he plays, he oozes confidence and makes everything he does look so easy. Despite some saying he hasn’t got the energy and speed to be really considered one of the world’s best players, his goalscoring record says otherwise.

In my opinion, the best Zlatan has been is during his time at AC Milan, where he has scored 39 goals in 48 games since joining them at age 28. He will undoubtedly be Sweden’s key player at this summer’s European championships.

4. Nemanja Vidic

When he joined Manchester United in January 2006 for just £7 million, very few predicted the 30 year old Serb would have such a colossal impact in English football.

At the start of the 2010/11 season, Vidic was awarded the captaincy at the Old Trafford club and led them to their historic 19th title. Vidic was also included in the FifPro world team of the year for 2011, highlighting what a magnificent player he is.

Despite being currently injured, Vidic will almost certainly be back fighting for his place soon enough.

3. Samuel Eto’o

Most people think that when a footballer reaches the age of 30, they begin to lose their speed. This led some to think Samuel Eto’o would lose one of his main attributes, his speed. As he got older, however, no such thing has yet happened to the electrifying Cameroonian striker, who’s currently the world’s highest paid player at Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala.

So far, Eto’o has impressed at Anzhi with a goalscoring record of 8 in 11 games. Based on current form, this 30 year old, three-time champions league winner at both Barcelona and Inter Milan, shows no signs of losing what made him such a world-class player in the first place.

2. David Villa

For years during his time at Valencia CF, David Villa was being linked with big-money moves to some of Europe’s finest clubs. Then eventually in 2010, David Villa made the move to Barcelona. Many wondered if due to Villa’s high octane style of play, he had left it too late to have five or six years at the very top of world football.

However, his form in the 2010/11 season was certainly good enough as he helped Barcelona win both the Champions League (scoring in the final) and La Liga.

An injury suffered in December of 2011, has almost certainly ruled him out of the rest of the 2011/12 season. But Spain will be hoping and praying that he’s fit enough to play for them at Euro 2012 this summer, highlighting his major importance to the team.

1. Xavi

If there was ever a player that proved that players, 30 years old and over, can still be among the best in the world, it’s Xavi. With a sublime range of passing, as well as an exceptional ability to make things look easy, Xavi is in my opinion the best midfielder in the world.

His club team Barcelona and his national team Spain, are the best club and national team in the world today in the majority of people’s estimations, and the fact that Xavi’s light shines brightest in both those teams, is a testament to his ability.

The fact he is this good, yet considered past his “peak”, proves that in many cases, age is merely a number.

Written by Joshua SodergrenFollow him on Twitter @chelsealad1365