Big Question: Who will be the best player over the age of 30?

April 20th, 2006 | by: WC Bob |

This year marks the first time that FIFA will hand out an award to the World Cup’s best young player under the age of 21. There’s no shortage of exciting young guys who might walk away with the award. Rather than celebrating youth, today we thought it would be fun to look at the old guard; the players over 30 who will still play important roles for their teams this summer. Of all the old timers (if you can call someone in their 30s old), which one will play the best in the World Cup?

Some of the nominees might include:

Zinedine Zidane
Dwight Yorke
Luis Figo
Pavel Nedved
Hernan Crespo
Ruud van Nistelrooy
A whole slew of keepers

Of all the old guard players, which one is going to have the best World Cup?

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justin

Del Piero??? Inzaghi???
http://trinidadtobago.worldcupblog.org stacy-marie

The DUKE will go marching on!
Euler

I hope Figo will do a good job.

If Brazil wins, we will have a lot of veterans with important roles: Zé Roberto (32), Emerson (30), Roberto Carlos (33), Cafu (36), Dida (32) and Ronaldo that will reach 30 in September this year.

I wonder if Romario would have a role at the age of 40.
Arno

Predrag Djordjevic!
rinaldo

Ale Del Piero!!
http://www.bensefels.de Bense

And I can asure you it’s not gonna be Schneider.
Ceasar Lourenco

It’s going to be Figo and maybe, maybe Pauleta!!
Genesis Guanga

My bet will be on either Nedved or Van Nistelrooy. Van Nistelrooy gets my first vote just because of his dominance this season and his ability to create something out of nothing anytime he’s on the pitch. only problem i see with him is that he’s too recognizable and definitely THE player any team facing Holland will try to shut down. Nedved’s chances of being the most outstanding player over the age of 30 is very good. He has always been a scrappy player, always willing to fight for any ball and with the recent good form of fellow czech striker baros, teams will likely target baros over Nedved in terms of trying to stop the offense.
Luis

Isn’t Pauleta 27 or something? I don’t think he’s over 30. And yes, it will be Figo for sure. He’s in great form for and old grizzly veteran.
http://www.worldcup2006news.net/ Knut Karnapp

Hm, Figo or Zidane. I´m not quite sure.
Ceasar Lourenco

Luis, I think Pauleta is actually 30 now?? Maybe someone can verify that for us.
http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org Mike

I don’t mean to be picky but Ruud isn’t actually 30. He’s 29 until the middle of July. With that said if he is on form the Dutch will go far…VERY far. See what I’m hinting at?

I think Cocu is a possibility. His form has been tremendous for PSV
http://www.worldcup2006news.net/2006/04/20/best-youngster-at-the-world-cup/ World Cup 2006 News » Best Youngster at the World Cup

[...] Those crazy folks over at the World Cup Blog currently have a discussion going on who might be the best player over the age of thirty. Interesting, as well. My guess would be Zidane or Figo. [...]
http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/big-question-which-current-coach-was-the-best-player.html#comments Pedro P

Pauleta will be 33 next week. ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauleta
Luis

Wow! For some reason, I thaught he was in his late 20s. In that case, for PT’s sake, it better be Pauleta with C. Ronaldo as the best young talent. Well, never hurts to dream big. Forca PT!
http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/big-question-which-current-coach-was-the-best-player.html#comments Pedro P

Yeah, if you’re gonna shoot at the sky, you might as well aim for a big cloud… ;-)

I believe C Ronaldo, if Portugal goes far, will be the best youth player. In the same way, I also believe Figo will put up a good show. To say he’ll be the better veteran… Dunno. I hope, so, sure… :-) Truth is he’s in a good form.
soze

Robert Kovač
Dado Pršo

I would love to see Dado do well, he will retire from football next year.

I’m not so sure about Zidane either..no motivation to play any more. I do think that Cafu, Roberto Carlos and Figo will be stars.
http://incadenza.typepad.com/soccer_thoughts/ Evan

Probably Nedved. Others not mentioned yet: Javier Zanetti, Jan Koller.

Surprised no one’s mentioned Beckham yet. I don’t think he’ll do anything, but maybe not many people think of him as over 30.
Ceasar Lourenco

Nedved will do what he always does on these tournaments, he will get a red card just when his team needs him the most and screw them up. Aww, memories of EC04. Juventus in champions league play, etc etc…

He’ll never be able to keep it together long enough to win it.
Rey

Zidane, no doubt. Now that he has announced his retairement, everyone is remembering all his victories.