Here’s a list of players that we could never put an age on…
There was a very special birthday at Italian football club Lazio this week as their Cameroon-born youth player Joseph Minala turned 18. Minala was at the centre of controversy earlier this year as there were claims that he was actually 40-years-old but after an investigation by the Italian FA, it was confirmed that the player is indeed 18.
We’re glad it’s all cleared up but you can’t get away from the fact that Minala looks a lot older than 18 so that got us thinking and here are 13 footballers from down through the years who looked way older than their years.
Wayne Rooney – 16-years-old
The England striker burst on the scene with Everton as a teenager and to the casual Premier League viewer he could have been mistaken for someone in his mid-20s. The definition of man-child.
Glenn Whelan – 24-years-old
Glenn Whelan came to most people’s attention when he broke into the Ireland setup at 24 and a lot of us were wondering who the hell this mature looking midfielder was, Glenn was 24 and hasn’t aged a day since.
Fabrizio Ravenelli – 28-years-old
‘The White Feather’ as he was known in footballing circles because of his, erm, white hair. The Italian striker won the Champions League with Juventus and also won the hearts of thousands on Teeside during his spell with Middlesborough.
Shaun Derry – 26-years-old
The tough tackling midfield always seemed like a guy who had 20 years experience behind him because of his skill in the dark arts of the game.
Jaap Stam – 26-years-old
The Dutchman was one of the best defenders in the world during his spell at Manchester United. He had the face of man who has been through many a battle.
Diego Costa – 25-years-old
Chelsea’s new goal-machine is another one that has to make the list because Diego Costa looks like an aging player that Sam Allardyce would pluck from obscurity but Costa is a man in his prime and is only getting better, scary.
Diego Simeone – 21-year-old
The Atletico Madrid manager was a fine player back in the back and here he is representing Argentina at the tender age of 21. That picture could have been taken at the Champions League Final in May.
Charlie Adam – 25-years-old
Adam was always one of those players who had an old head on young shoulders. He made his name in England during his stint with Blackpool and went on to play for Liverpool and now Stoke. He did and still looks around 35.
Zinedine Zidane – 24-years-old
This is the Frenchman just after he signed for Juventus in 1996 and apart from losing a few ribs of hair, we don’t think he’s changed much at all.
Andy O’Brien – 20-years-old
The big defender’s size was probably a contributing factor in us thinking he was a lot older than he was but to be fair he looked like that older cousin from England that you didn’t know anything about. Who is this guy and how bloody old is he?
Steven Fletcher – 22-years-old
Here’s the Premier League star back in the day when he was plying his trade with Hibernian in the SPL in 2009.
Hendry Thomas – 26-years-old
The former Wigan midfielder is almost on the same level of Joseph Minala when it comes to looking old, the player is now with Dallas FC in the MLS but we will never forget his very, very mature face.
Gary Doherty – 21-years-old
The words ‘fresh’ and ‘faced’ were never used in the same sentence as our beloved Irish defender Gary Doherty. He looked like one of the wilds from over the road that went to London and got a break. Gary is now playing with Wycombe Wanderers.
If there’s any old looking footballers that we missed, make sure to give us a tweet here @JOEdotie.
