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We all grew up hearing the proverb "Old is Gold", didn't we? Well, it appears that this is the case with a number of footballers too. Some of them age like fine wine!
Despite being in their thirties, a period when most players enter the twilight of their career, these footballers have managed to keep themselves in fine feather.
Now that the final 23-man squads for each side featuring in the upcoming World Cup have been revealed, we get a clear picture of exactly what each side will look like.
So without further ado, let us take a look at the best XI comprising footballers aged more than 30 in the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Note: In this article, we will use the standard 4-4-2 formation.
#1 Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer - 32 years old
Manuel Neuer suffered a broken foot in mid-September which ruled him out for the remainder of the season.
Nevertheless, despite the dearth of game time, the German international has been chosen ahead of an in-form Marc-André ter Stegen for the fast-approaching World Cup, which itself speaks volumes of his goalkeeping ability.
Neuer has been acclaimed for his excellent reflexes, shot-stopping ability and footwork. The 32-year-old was also a part of the 2014 German World Cup winning team and the winner of the Golden Glove in the same competition.
Also Read: Top 5 goalkeepers in the world right now
#2 Center Back: Sergio Ramos - 32 years old
Over the years, Ramos has established himself as arguably the best center-back of this generation. He is a tough defender both physically and mentally.
The Spaniard has been the linchpin of the Real Madrid squad in the last couple of years, winning four La Liga and Champions League titles during his stint at Los Blancos.
The 32-year-old featured in 41 matches across all competitions in 2017-18. In Champions League, Ramos won 11 tackles this season with a success rate of 34% and also made 11 interceptions, 25 clearances and nine blocks.
He will skipper the Spanish national team having already won 155 international caps.
#3 Center Back: Gerard Piqué - 31 years old
Gerard Pique is one of the rare footballers who has won everything at the club and international level.
Not many could have predicted the success the Spaniard would go on to achieve at Barcelona when he returned to his boyhood club from Manchester United for a measly sum of £4.5m.
The 31-year-old was an integral part of Barcelona's triumphs this season as the club ran riot domestically, clinching La Liga and Copa del Rey in a glorious fashion under Ernesto Valverde with Pique greasing the wheels of the campaign.
In La Liga, the Spanish international won 17 tackles this season with a success rate of 34%. He also made 24 interceptions, 105 clearances and 23 blocks.
#4 Right Back: Stephan Lichtsteiner - 34 years old
The recent Arsenal signing, Stephan Lichtsteiner, is a player with plenty of experience. Lichtsteiner moved to the Italian club Juventus in 2011 from Lazio, where he inspired the Old Lady to 7 successive Serie A and 4 consecutive Coppa Italia titles.
'The Swiss Express' is a strong and versatile full-back with a commendable proficiency in exploiting spaces and building up play from the right flank of the pitch.
This season, Lichtsteiner made 32 appearances for Juventus in all competitions. In the Serie A, he won 25 tackles this season with a success rate of 48% and made 14 interceptions, 36 clearances and one block.
#5 Left Back: Marcelo - 30 years old
In recent years, Marcelo has developed into one of the best left-backs in the world.
The Brazilian international was instrumental in Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League triumph where he also scored 3 crucial goals. However, the 30-year-old occasionally found himself in the firing line for being too "attack-minded", which often resulted in Real Madrid being exposed defensively.
In the World Cup, Marcelo will be an important part of Tite's plans as he is not only a sturdy defender at the back but also boasts the ability to play crosses and create spaces up front.
#6 Central Midfield: Andrés Iniesta - 34 years old
Many football fans were left shell-shocked when Iniesta announced that he will leave FC Barcelona at the end of the recent season. The Spaniard is now a part of the Japanese club Vissel Kobe, joining on a three-year deal.
In 2010, it was Iniesta who inspired the Spanish national team to their maiden World Cup triumph by scoring the winning goal against the Netherlands in the final. This season too, unhindered by his age, the 34-year-old was seen running rings around the opposition.
Iniesta featured in 44 matches for La Blaugrana across all competitions. In La Liga, he scored one goal this season, creating 16 chances and providing one assist whilst also completing 1087 passes with a pass accuracy of 88%, of which 71% were forward passes.
#7 Central Midfield: Luka Modrić - 32 years old
Luka Modric is the unsung hero of Real Madrid. The Croatian international is one of the main reasons for Real Madrid's astounding success in the UEFA Champions League over the years.
In hindsight, it is surprising as well as hilarious that the phenomenal Croat was named as the worst signing for Los Blancos at the end of his debut season. However, he has silenced his critics since then with admirable performances.
Modric will be a key player in Croatia's World Cup run, controlling the entire game from the middle of the pitch.
#8 Right Wing: Lionel Messi - 30 years old
The only chink in Lionel Messi's glittering armor is the absence of the World Cup trophy and the Argentine will be hell-bent on pulling out all the stops to finally lift the trophy.
Despite boasting a star-studded squad including the likes of Sergio Aguero, Paulo Dybala, Angel Di María, Nicolas Otamendi and Javier Mascherano, the Argentine national team heavily relies on Leo's presence, a fact which was also evidenced in the qualifying stage of the World Cup.
One of the most talented footballers of all-time, Messi has scored more than 600 career goals for club and country and will now be looking forward to getting his mitts on the much-coveted World Cup trophy.
#9 Left Wing: Cristiano Ronaldo - 33 years old
In the early stages of the 2017-18 season, it looked like age was catching up to Ronaldo.
However, the 33-year-old managed to find his best form and net 44 goals by the end of the season.
The Portuguese national team are one of the favourites to prevail in the competition after their mind-boggling Euro 2016 triumph. If they manage to succeed in their pursuit of another trophy, then Ronaldo winning his sixth Ballon d'Or will be all but inevitable.
#10 Striker: Luis Suárez - 31 years old
Luis Suarez is one of the best strikers in modern football and the Uruguayan national team will be largely banking on his performances. The 31-year-old has already notched up a total of 50 goals in the 97 international matches he has played thus far.
He was also one of the brightest attackers in La Liga with 25 goals and 11 assists in 32 appearances.
#11 Striker: Sergio Agüero - 30 years old
Sergio Aguero is another behemoth in the Argentine squad who has the potential of leading the side to victory. The 30-year-old had a remarkable season with The Citizens in which the club broke a host of records.
The Argentine struck 21 goals in the 25 appearances he made in the Premier League.
The former Atletico Madrid striker could pose a serious threat to the opponents with his tactical intellect, vision and goal-scoring ability.
