There is a general theory in sports, especially in football or any team game, that the 35-year-old or above-aged footballers or players have already crossed their pick moments and not the strong names at least for the top reputed teams. But some players already proved this theory wrong in past, and many older footballers are now challenging this theory with their solid performances.
Here we are talking about the top five most valuable footballers in the world whose ages are at least 35-year-old in 2022 (according to the latest valuations from transfermarkt)
5. Keylor Navas – €8 million
The 35-year-old Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas is currently the regular player of the French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The former Real Madrid’s one-time La Liga and three-time UEFA Champions League-winning goalkeeper Navas was also a crucial member of PSG during their best UCL season in 2019/20, where they finished as the runners-up.
Navas still has the contract with PSG till 2024 summer as he is still very much a regular player for the club but facing huge competition with the 23-year-old Italian goalie Gianluigi Donnarumma.
4. Luka Modric – €10 million
The Croatian midfielder Luka Modric is serving for the Spanish La Liga giants Real Madrid for a decade. The 36-year-old footballer’s present contract with the club will run till 2023 summer. But more importantly, he is still a key player for the Whites as he is still their regular starter.
In his long career for Real Madrid, Modric has celebrated many trophies with this Spanish club, including three La Liga trophies and five UEFA Champions League titles. While Los Blancos were successful last season by winning the La Liga and UCL trophies, Modric was still a key member.
3. Manuel Neuer – €15 million
The FIFA World Cup 2014 winner German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is one of the legendary goalkeepers of his native club Bayern Munich. In his 11-year service for Bayern, Neuer is still strongly handling the goalkeeping role of the club. He has two more years to end the present contract with the club as the 36-year-old is still going strong for the club.
In his long career for Bayern Munich, Neuer has celebrated 10 successive German Bundesliga titles as well as two UEFA Champions League trophies.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo – €30 million
The 37-year-old Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers in history. He has numerous records with his name which can’t be finished easily. The legendary footballer has dominated in English football for Manchester United, Spanish football for Real Madrid and Italian football for Juventus.
Currently, the five-time UEFA Champions League winner Ronaldo is serving for Manchester United with a contract till 2023 summer. The UEFA Euro 2016 winner CR7 finished the last season as the leading goal-scorer for the Red Devils (24 goals) in his return to the English club despite his club’s struggling condition the entire season. He was the third most goal-scorer in the last Premier League season (18 goals).
1. Lionel Messi – €50 million
The 35-year-old Argentine forward Lionel Messi is another legendary footballer, who is also considered one of the greatest footballers in history. The Spanish La Liga giants Barcelona legend Messi joined the French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last season after Barca faced financial trouble.
The 10-time Spanish La Liga winner and four-time UEFA Champions League winner Messi played a key role in his first season for PSG, where his team won the French Ligue 1 title. Though fans missed his non-stop goal-scoring celebration last season, PSG’s regular and dependable footballer finished his first Ligue 1 season as the second most assist provider (14 assists).
The Copa America 2021 winner and FIFA World Cup 2014 runners-up Messi’s present contract with PSG will run till the 2023 summer.
