9 big-name footballers born before Cristiano Ronaldo still playing professionally in 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo is now in his forties – and he can take inspiration from some familiar faces that are even older and still playing professionally today.
Former Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Marseille superstars are among the players in their forties who refuse to hang up their boots.
Here are nine big-name professional footballers who were born before Ronaldo and are still playing in 2025.
Thiago Silva
Thiago Silva waved a tearful goodbye to Chelsea at the end of last season.
The Blues got more than they bargained for with four seasons out of the era-defining Brazil captain, given they signed him on a free agent on a one-year deal when he was 36 years of age.
The eternal defender turned 40 last September, shortly after returning to Brazil for a second stint with Fluminense.
Unbelievably, he’s not even the oldest player in the squad – No.1 goalkeeper Fabio is 44 years of age and is one of only three players in football history to have made more appearances than Ronaldo.
Santi Cazorla
It’s almost seven years since Cazorla came to a sad exit at Arsenal, ravaged by a horror injury that almost resulted in his foot being amputated.
It’s a minor miracle that he didn’t call it quits there and then, let alone having enjoyed a fairytale Indian summer that sees him turning out at his beloved hometown club Real Oviedo in the Spanish second tier at the age of 40.
“I would play for free but you’re not allowed,” Cazorla told The Guardian.
“They made a good offer. My wife said: ‘No, no, you’re not going to Oviedo to earn, you’re going home to enjoy it, to help, to give.’
“I called my agent: ‘I don’t want any money.’ I told the president: minimum salary, 10% of shirt sales to the academy. It was done that night.”
One of football’s good guys.
Mathieu Valbuena
One of the unwritten rules of football is that we’re obliged to describe the French midfielder as diminutive.
Another 1984-born player, it’s over a decade since Valbuena was last capped by France and nearly eight years since he faded away from the footballing mainstream by departing Lyon.
But he’s just kept going in Turkey and Greece since then, having turned out for Fenerbahce, Olympiacos, Apollon Limassol and – currently – Athens Kallithea.
The veteran has notched two goals and three assists for the lesser-known Greek Super League outfit this season.
Brad Guzan
We don’t have enough bald American ‘keepers in the Premier League these days. Back in the Barclays era you couldn’t move for them.
Nine years after leaving Aston Villa, Guzan is gearing up for a ninth MLS campaign with Atlanta United – a club he’s been at since they were formed back in 2017.
A few months ago he made headlines for some hilarious shenanigans against Inter Miami, but he had the last laugh after dumping Lionel Messi’s side out of the MLS Cup after making eight saves. Still got it.
Atlanta have been busy in the transfer market in recent weeks, signing former Leeds fan favourite Mateusz Klich, bringing back Miguel Almiron and breaking the MLS transfer record to sign Emmanuel Latte Lath from Middlesbrough.
Vagner Love
Now we’re talking.
There were at least 10 different editions of Football Manager where we convinced ourselves we could coach the Brazilian forward into a world-beater. Were we ever successful? No comment.
Vagner Love turned 40 last summer but he’s not through with his journeyman career just yet. After a short stint with Atletico Goianiense, he joined second-tier Brazilian side Avai last summer.
Dante
The only outfield player in their forties still playing in one of Europe’s top five leagues, former Bayern Munich defender Dante is still going at Nice.
He’s made 12 starts in Ligue 1 this season for Les Aiglons as they chase a Champions League qualification spot. Some going.
READ NEXT: Where are they now? The 7 players Cristiano Ronaldo told Real Madrid to sell in 2018
TRY A QUIZ: The Ultimate Cristiano Ronaldo Quiz: 30 tricky questions on the Real Madrid & Man Utd icon
Pepe Reina
Dante’s the only old outfielder, but Reina’s continuing a proud tradition of old international goalkeepers who refuse to hang up their gloves.
Following in the footsteps of Gianluigi Buffon, Jens Lehmann and Edwin van der Sar, Reina is the oldest footballer to have made an appearance this season across Europe’s five major leagues at the age of 42.
The former Liverpool, Bayern and Napoli ‘keeper spent the last couple of years as a squad player at Villarreal before being recruited by his former Spain team-mate Cesc Fabregas (five years his junior) at newly-promoted Serie A side Como in the summer.
He’s started 10 of their 23 league outings this season and kept clean sheets in wins over Roma and Lecce either side of Christmas.
Jose Fonte
The former Southampton and West Ham centre-back has played 40 times alongside Ronaldo for Portugal and is one year older than his old team-mate – who ought to be eternally grateful for the manner in which he kept a clean sheet in his captain’s injury-enforced absence in the Euro 2016 final victory over France.
Now he’s winding down his club career back in Portugal with Casa Pia, having prolonged his stay back in the Primeira Liga after leaving Braga in the summer.
QUIZ: Can you name the 25 players who have made the most appearances alongside Cristiano Ronaldo?
Roque Santa Cruz
We’ll be absolutely gutted once the Barclays-era cult hero finally hangs up his boots and stops being our go-to stock answer for a golden oldie somehow still playing professionally.
The oldest player we’re featuring here, Santa Cruz is three years older than Ronaldo and has made over 250 appearances in the Paraguayan top flight since he returned to his home country back in 2016.
Understandably he’s playing more of an experience-lending squad player role at this stage in his career, but last season he did line up on occasion alongside 41-year-old ex-Benfica striker Oscar Cardozo last season.
A strike partnership with a combined age of 87 — lovely stuff.