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?

Tags: best players over 30, old guard, Older World Cup players

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Comments

By justin | April 20th, 2006 at 5:08 am

Del Piero??? Inzaghi???

Posted from Italy

By stacy-marie | April 20th, 2006 at 5:34 am

The DUKE will go marching on!

Posted from United Kingdom

By Euler | April 20th, 2006 at 5:43 am

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.

By Arno | April 20th, 2006 at 5:44 am

Predrag Djordjevic!

Posted from Netherlands

By rinaldo | April 20th, 2006 at 6:59 am

Ale Del Piero!!

Posted from India

By Bense | April 20th, 2006 at 7:45 am

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

Posted from United States

By Ceasar Lourenco | April 20th, 2006 at 8:00 am

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

Posted from Canada

By Genesis Guanga | April 20th, 2006 at 8:05 am

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.

Posted from United States

By Luis | April 20th, 2006 at 8:21 am

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.

Posted from United States

By Knut Karnapp | April 20th, 2006 at 8:26 am

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

Posted from Germany

By Ceasar Lourenco | April 20th, 2006 at 8:29 am

Luis, I think Pauleta is actually 30 now?? Maybe someone can verify that for us.

Posted from Canada

By Mike | April 20th, 2006 at 8:29 am

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

Posted from United States

By World Cup 2006 News » Best Youngster at the World Cup | April 20th, 2006 at 8:31 am

[...] 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. [...]

Posted from Germany

By Pedro P | April 20th, 2006 at 9:11 am

Pauleta will be 33 next week.

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

Posted from Netherlands

By Luis | April 20th, 2006 at 10:05 am

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!

Posted from United States

By Pedro P | April 20th, 2006 at 10:09 am

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.

Posted from Netherlands

By soze | April 20th, 2006 at 1:02 pm

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.

By Evan | April 20th, 2006 at 2:50 pm

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.

Posted from United States

By Ceasar Lourenco | April 20th, 2006 at 3:51 pm

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.

Posted from Canada

By Rey | April 28th, 2006 at 4:55 pm

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

Posted from United States

Comments are closed