The 2024-25 UEFA Champions League is grander and fiercer than ever earlier than. With the highest 36 European groups battling it out in a league-style format for the primary section of the marketing campaign, there isn’t a room for error. Solely essentially the most deserving gamers will get the nod, which is advantageous for younger gamers who’re on the peak of their powers. Nevertheless, there are a number of exceptions, and at the moment’s listing is all about them.
On this listing under, we’ll check out 5 gamers who’ve defied pure choice to characteristic within the UEFA Champions League this season. Listed here are the 5 oldest gamers who’ve performed within the 2024-25 UCL marketing campaign:
#5 Juraj Kucka (Slovan Bratislava) – 37 years and 6 months
Slovan Bratislava central midfielder Juraj Kucka is the fifth identify on the listing, having featured for the membership of their 2024-25 UEFA Champions League opener on the age of 37 years and 6 months. Kucka performed for 85 minutes because the Slovakian outfit suffered a 5-1 defeat to Celtic on Matchday 1.
The Champions League debutant was in breathtaking type throughout the qualifiers earlier within the 2024-25 season. In eight matches, he scored twice to push Bratislava into the match of champions.
#4 Kasper Schmeichel (Celtic) – 37 years and 10 months
At 37 years and 10 months, Celtic man Kasper Schmeichel is the second oldest goalkeeper to play within the UEFA Champions League this yr. He produced a superb efficiency because the Scottish Premiership outfit got here away with a 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava, marking their greatest efficiency within the competitors’s historical past.
Schmeichel, who received the Premier League title with Leicester Metropolis in 2015-16, has performed 9 matches within the competitors thus far, protecting 5 clear sheets and conceding 5 objectives.
#3 Cristhian Stuani (Girona) – 37 years and 11 months
Cristhian Stuani, aged 37 years and 11 months, began for Girona because the Catalans kicked off their UEFA Champions League marketing campaign with a visit to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on September 18. The guests tried their greatest however finally succumbed to a 1-0 defeat on the Parc des Princes.
Girona is collaborating of their first-ever UEFA Champions League marketing campaign this season, and Stuani performed a key position in serving to them get there. The captain performed 31 La Liga matches in 2023-24, contributing with 9 objectives and three assists. He has already gotten off the mark this season, netting twice in 5 Spanish top-flight matches.
#2 Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) – 38 years and 5 months
Probably the most embellished goalkeeper within the historical past of German soccer, Manuel Neuer began in Bayern Munich’s 9-2 domination over Dinamo Zagreb. At 38 years and 5 months, Neuer is the second-oldest participant to characteristic within the UEFA Champions League this season. Sadly, the German goalkeeper didn’t characteristic within the second half, with supervisor Vincent Kompany selecting to relaxation him after he picked up a knock within the first half.
Neuer has performed 141 video games within the UEFA Champions League, with 119 of these coming for the Bavarians. He has thus far conceded 127 objectives and stored 59 clear sheets, successful the competitors twice with Bayern.
#1 Luka Modric (Actual Madrid) – 39 years
Aged 39 years, Actual Madrid legend Luka Modric is the oldest participant within the UEFA Champions League this season. The Croat not solely performed for over 20 minutes as Los Blancos beat VfB Stuttgart 3-1 of their Champions League opener, however he additionally assisted Antonio Rudiger for Madrid’s go-ahead objective within the 83rd minute.
The truth that Actual Madrid, arguably essentially the most demanding membership on this planet, has stored Modric round even on the age of 39 speaks volumes about his skill as a participant. He has helped the All-Whites win a whopping six UEFA Champions League trophies, chipping in with eight objectives and 17 assists in 121 video games. As it’s doubtless his closing season with Actual Madrid, it would solely be becoming if he leaves on the again of one other heroic European marketing campaign.
