World Cup's top players at every age
By Adrian Melville
ESPN INSIDER
The World Cup cycle is always a good measure of how individual players have changed the landscape of the game over the previous four years. Within every tournament, there are exciting young prospects set to become household names, world-class players looking to thrive in the prime of their careers and established veterans who enter the tournament knowing this will likely be their last chance at World Cup glory.
Here is my list of the top players at every age from 18 to 35 years old who, by all accounts, will be competing at the World Cup in Brazil. Selections were made based on current form as well as performance for both club and country over the past year, with extra points given to players who provide versatility for their countries. These players are categorized by how old they will be when the tournament starts on June 12, and given that only one player is chosen for each age, there are quite a few difficult decisions (i.e. Yaya Toure versus Franck Ribery at age 31, etc.).
Here's a look at the best players at each age heading to Brazil, along with honorable mentions.
18 years old
Luke Shaw, England (Southampton)
Shaw has made it fairly clear that he is a future mainstay at left-back for England, and it seems inevitable that he will eventually be lured to one of Europe's biggest clubs. The defender ranks third in total minutes played for Southampton, and by staying on the field Shaw has amassed 58 total tackles (second most on team) while also ranking third on Southampton with 149 total clearances.
Honorable mention: Simone Scuffet, Italy (Udinese); Max Meyer, Germany (Schalke)
19 years old
Raheem Sterling, England (Liverpool)
Sterling ranks third on the Liverpool with 24 attacking-third touches per 90 minutes, and as a result he also ranks third on the team with 5.8 take-ons per 90 minutes. Plus, Sterling's nine goals rank fourth on a Liverpool team that has been strong in the attack all season, and the potential absences of Theo Walcott and Andros Townsend could make Sterling even more valuable throughout England's World Cup campaign.
Honorable mention: Leon Goretzka, Germany (Schalke)
20 years old
Ross Barkley, England (Everton)
Barkley remains a bubble player for England's World Cup team, but England manager Roy Hodgson is right to give Barkley strong consideration given the balance that he can bring to England's attack.
In the attacking half of the field, England averaged 108 touches per game throughout World Cup qualifying (ninth most in UEFA). England also averaged 27 cross attempts per game throughout qualifying (third most in UEFA), which suggests that Hodgson could use some variance in his attack. Barkley provides that as a central midfielder who ranks third on an Everton team averaging 5.2 take-ons per 90 minutes. Plus, he has scored six goals in the 2013-14 campaign.
Honorable mention: Julian Draxler, Germany (Schalke)
21 years old
Paul Pogba, France (Juventus)
Pogba has scored seven goals and recorded seven assists for Juventus this season, but he also ranks second on the team with 61 total tackles, and as mentioned in my European league awards, he has logged more minutes (3,018) than any other Juventus player this season.
Honorable mention: Romelu Lukaku, Belgium (Everton); Josip Drmic, Switzerland (Nurnberg); Raphael Varane, France (Real Madrid); Marco Verratti, Italy (Paris Saint-Germain); Heung-Min Son, South Korea (Bayer Leverkusen)
22 years old
Neymar, Brazil (Barcelona)
Neymar leads Barcelona with 9.9 take-ons per 90 minutes, and also ranks second on the team with 3.5 shots per 90 minutes. The extra space that Neymar's dribbling creates allows him to manufacture 2.1 chances per 90 minutes with Barcelona, and even though Brazil was exempt from World Cup qualifying, Neymar showed off his scoring ability with four goals in five games at the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Honorable mention: Mario Gotze, Germany (Bayern Munich); Jack Wilshere, England (Arsenal); Koke, Spain (Atletico Madrid); Oscar, Brazil (Chelsea); Xherdan Shaqiri, Switzerland (Bayern Munich)
23 years old
Eden Hazard, Belgium (Chelsea)
There is an interesting debate here between Hazard and AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, as both are great players who each have scored 14 goals for their respective clubs. However, Hazard seems to be the more well-rounded player, and along with taking fewer than half as many shots as Balotelli this season, Hazard also ranks third on Chelsea with 2.6 chances created per 90 minutes, and led Belgium with 6.0 take-ons per 90 minutes throughout World Cup qualifying.
Honorable mention: Mario Balotelli, Italy (AC Milan); Victor Moses, Nigeria (Liverpool)
24 years old
Daniel Sturridge, England (Liverpool)
Sturridge accounts for roughly 20 percent of Liverpool's goals this season, and given his breakout performance in the 2013-14 campaign the striker is expected to play a big role for England this summer. Sturridge's 3.7 shots per 90 minutes rank second on Liverpool, and he is currently one of only three players to score 20 or more Premier League goals this season.
Honorable mention: Thomas Muller, Germany (Bayern Munich); Toni Kroos, Germany (Bayern Munich); Kevin Strootman, Netherlands (Roma); Miralem Pjanic, Bosnia (Roma)
25 years old
Diego Costa, Spain (Atletico Madrid)
Costa's 27 goals rank third in La Liga, and his play in the opponent's penalty area is the main reason he is starting to be regarded as one of the best strikers in the world. Costa leads La Liga with 233 total touches in the opponent's penalty area, and 26 of his 27 goals this season have come from this part of the field.
Honorable mention: Marco Reus, Germany (Borussia Dortmund); Mesut Ozil, Germany (Arsenal); Alexis Sanchez, Chile (Barcelona); Mats Hummels, Germany (Borussia Dortmund); Shinji Kagawa, Japan (Manchester United); Kwadwo Asamoah, Ghana (Juventus); Willian, Brazil (Chelsea)
26 years old
Lionel Messi, Argentina (Barcelona)
Messi will turn 27 during the group stage of the tournament, and this World Cup will likely be the best opportunity for him to cement his legacy. Some are beginning to doubt Messi, as his current tally of 28 goals will not match the 46 goals that he scored in 2012-13. However, the 2.7 chances per 90 minutes that Messi has created this season eclipse the 1.5 chances per 90 minutes created in 2012-13, and while his finishing this campaign was not as strong as in 2012-13, the fact he is averaging the same 2.6 shots on target in both seasons implies that he may just need to find his form.
Honorable mention: Sergio Aguero, Argentina (Manchester City); Angel Di Maria, Argentina (Real Madrid); Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina (Napoli); Marcelo, Brazil (Real Madrid); Karim Benzema, France (Real Madrid); Javier Hernandez, Mexico (Manchester United); Michael Bradley, United States (Toronto FC)
27 years old
Luis Suarez, Uruguay (Liverpool)
The reigning PFA Player of the Year will be marked tightly in the World Cup, as his 31 goals are currently tied with Cristiano Ronaldo for the most across Europe's top five domestic leagues. Suarez also leads the Premier League lead with 12 assists, and his CONMEBOL-high 11 goals in World Cup qualifying indicate that he is adept at playing well on the international stage.
Honorable mention: Arturo Vidal, Chile (Juventus); Jan Vertonghen, Belgium (Tottenham); David Luiz, Brazil (Chelsea); Edinson Cavani, Uruguay (Paris Saint-Germain); Blaise Matuidi, France (Paris Saint-Germain); Olivier Giroud, France (Arsenal); Gervinho, Ivory Coast (Arsenal); Cesc Fabregas, Spain (Barcelona)
28 years old
Wayne Rooney, England (Manchester United)
Rooney reprises his role as a scorer with England, and averaged 1.3 goals and 5.2 shots per 90 minutes during World Cup qualifying, as opposed to 0.6 goals and 3.5 shots per 90 minutes with Manchester United this season. Rooney also created 3.0 chances per 90 minutes throughout World Cup qualifying, as opposed to 1.9 in the current United campaign, so there is evidence that he will be among England's top performers as the World Cup tournament moves along.
Honorable mention: Edin Dzeko, Bosnia (Manchester City); Sergio Ramos, Spain (Real Madrid); Vincent Kompany, Belgium (Manchester City); Manuel Neuer, Germany (Bayern Munich); Luka Modric, Croatia (Real Madrid); Falcao, Colombia (AS Monaco); David Silva, Spain (Manchester City)
29 years old
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (Real Madrid)
Ronaldo leads players across Europe's top five leagues with 7.3 shots per 90 minutes, and the attacker's 31 goals this season are tied for the most across Europe. For Portugal, Ronaldo's 6.7 shots per 90 minutes throughout World Cup qualifying do not quite match his output at Real Madrid, but he did create 2.0 chances per 90 minutes for Portugal as opposed to 1.6 in his current Madrid campaign, and the winger's eight goals throughout qualifying ranked third overall among UEFA players.
Honorable mention: Giorgio Chiellini, Italy (Juventus); Bastian Schweinsteiger, Germany (Bayern Munich); Thiago Silva, Brazil (Paris Saint-Germain); Pablo Zabaleta, Argentina (Manchester City); Fernandinho, Brazil (Manchester City); Per Mertesacker, Germany (Arsenal); Leighton Baines, England (Everton)
30 years old
Philipp Lahm, Germany (Bayern Munich)
Lahm has been heavily praised for his increased role with Bayern Munich this season, and has recorded almost 10 percent more touches on the ball than he did in the 2012-13 season. He is also posting a 91 percent pass completion percentage while attempting more passes than any Bundesliga player this season (2,321), and defensively his 37 total interceptions rank second among his Bayern teammates.
Honorable mention: Andres Iniesta, Spain (Barcelona); Robin van Persie, Netherlands (Manchester United); Arjen Robben, Netherlands (Bayern Munich); Stephan Lichtsteiner, Switzerland (Juventus); Fred, Brazil (Fluminense); Daniele De Rossi, Italy (Roma)
31 years old
Yaya Toure, Ivory Coast (Manchester City)
Toure will turn 31 on May 13, and while in the midst of a domestic title run the Manchester City midfielder is enjoying the best offensive season of his career. Toure's 20 goals currently rank third in the Premier League, but more impressive is that his 62 total shot attempts this season are fewer than the 69 shots that he needed to score just seven goals in 2012-13.
Toure has also shown proficiency for scoring from direct free kicks this season, and his four goals from such instances are tied for the most across Europe's top five leagues. Similar to his efficiency in open play, Toure has needed just seven direct free kick attempts to score those goals, and his timely scoring will be heavily relied upon in the Ivory Coast midfield.
Honorable mention: Franck Ribery, France (Bayern Munich); Dani Alves, Brazil (Barcelona); Thiago Motta, Italy (Paris Saint-Germain)
32 years old
Iker Casillas, Spain (Real Madrid)
Casillas has played all 12 Champions League games for Real Madrid this season, and has recorded five clean sheets along the way. And even though Casillas has a strong team in front of him, the Spanish goalkeeper still averages 3.7 saves per game (12th in Champions League), and his 25 total diving saves are more than any other goalkeeper in the tournament.
Honorable mention: Xabi Alonso, Spain (Real Madrid)
33 years old
Patrice Evra, France (Manchester United)
Evra remained a reliable presence on United's back line this season, and although he turns 33 years old on May 15, his 2,984 minutes to date are almost 400 more than the next United outfield player. And while Evra's 1.5 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per 90 minutes mirror the 1.8 tackles and 1.4 interceptions he provided last season, the French defender is averaging three more touches per 90 minutes in the attacking half of the field this campaign while creating 1.1 chances per 90 minutes as opposed to the 0.7 he provided last season.
Honorable mention: Ashley Cole, England (Chelsea); Gareth Barry, England (Manchester City on loan to Everton); Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon (Chelsea)
34 years old
Steven Gerrard, England (Liverpool)
Gerrard led all England outfield players with 690 minutes in World Cup qualifying, and even though he turns 34 years old on May 30, Gerrard has demonstrated that he can still play at a high level. And although 10 of Gerrard's 13 goals for Liverpool this season have come from penalties, the captain ranks second in the Prem in assists (11). Plus, his 63 total chances created this season rank third on Liverpool.
Honorable mention: Xavi Hernandez, Spain (Barcelona)
35 and over
Andrea Pirlo, Italy (Juventus)
Pirlo currently ranks second in the Serie A with 89 touches per 90 minutes, and as he turns 35 on May 19, it is incredible to think that the Italian midfielder can still have so much influence on a match. Pirlo also led Italy with 813 minutes played through World Cup qualifying, and his 27 total chances created over that stretch ranked eighth among UEFA players.
Honorable mention: Tim Howard, 35, United States (Everton); Miroslav Klose, 36, Germany (Lazio); Gianluigi Buffon, 36, Italy (Juventus); Didier Drogba, 36, Ivory Coast (Galatasaray)
By Adrian Melville
ESPN INSIDER
The World Cup cycle is always a good measure of how individual players have changed the landscape of the game over the previous four years. Within every tournament, there are exciting young prospects set to become household names, world-class players looking to thrive in the prime of their careers and established veterans who enter the tournament knowing this will likely be their last chance at World Cup glory.
Here is my list of the top players at every age from 18 to 35 years old who, by all accounts, will be competing at the World Cup in Brazil. Selections were made based on current form as well as performance for both club and country over the past year, with extra points given to players who provide versatility for their countries. These players are categorized by how old they will be when the tournament starts on June 12, and given that only one player is chosen for each age, there are quite a few difficult decisions (i.e. Yaya Toure versus Franck Ribery at age 31, etc.).
Here's a look at the best players at each age heading to Brazil, along with honorable mentions.
18 years old
Luke Shaw, England (Southampton)
Shaw has made it fairly clear that he is a future mainstay at left-back for England, and it seems inevitable that he will eventually be lured to one of Europe's biggest clubs. The defender ranks third in total minutes played for Southampton, and by staying on the field Shaw has amassed 58 total tackles (second most on team) while also ranking third on Southampton with 149 total clearances.
Honorable mention: Simone Scuffet, Italy (Udinese); Max Meyer, Germany (Schalke)
19 years old
Raheem Sterling, England (Liverpool)
Sterling ranks third on the Liverpool with 24 attacking-third touches per 90 minutes, and as a result he also ranks third on the team with 5.8 take-ons per 90 minutes. Plus, Sterling's nine goals rank fourth on a Liverpool team that has been strong in the attack all season, and the potential absences of Theo Walcott and Andros Townsend could make Sterling even more valuable throughout England's World Cup campaign.
Honorable mention: Leon Goretzka, Germany (Schalke)
20 years old
Ross Barkley, England (Everton)
Barkley remains a bubble player for England's World Cup team, but England manager Roy Hodgson is right to give Barkley strong consideration given the balance that he can bring to England's attack.
In the attacking half of the field, England averaged 108 touches per game throughout World Cup qualifying (ninth most in UEFA). England also averaged 27 cross attempts per game throughout qualifying (third most in UEFA), which suggests that Hodgson could use some variance in his attack. Barkley provides that as a central midfielder who ranks third on an Everton team averaging 5.2 take-ons per 90 minutes. Plus, he has scored six goals in the 2013-14 campaign.
Honorable mention: Julian Draxler, Germany (Schalke)
21 years old
Paul Pogba, France (Juventus)
Pogba has scored seven goals and recorded seven assists for Juventus this season, but he also ranks second on the team with 61 total tackles, and as mentioned in my European league awards, he has logged more minutes (3,018) than any other Juventus player this season.
Honorable mention: Romelu Lukaku, Belgium (Everton); Josip Drmic, Switzerland (Nurnberg); Raphael Varane, France (Real Madrid); Marco Verratti, Italy (Paris Saint-Germain); Heung-Min Son, South Korea (Bayer Leverkusen)
22 years old
Neymar, Brazil (Barcelona)
Neymar leads Barcelona with 9.9 take-ons per 90 minutes, and also ranks second on the team with 3.5 shots per 90 minutes. The extra space that Neymar's dribbling creates allows him to manufacture 2.1 chances per 90 minutes with Barcelona, and even though Brazil was exempt from World Cup qualifying, Neymar showed off his scoring ability with four goals in five games at the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Honorable mention: Mario Gotze, Germany (Bayern Munich); Jack Wilshere, England (Arsenal); Koke, Spain (Atletico Madrid); Oscar, Brazil (Chelsea); Xherdan Shaqiri, Switzerland (Bayern Munich)
23 years old
Eden Hazard, Belgium (Chelsea)
There is an interesting debate here between Hazard and AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, as both are great players who each have scored 14 goals for their respective clubs. However, Hazard seems to be the more well-rounded player, and along with taking fewer than half as many shots as Balotelli this season, Hazard also ranks third on Chelsea with 2.6 chances created per 90 minutes, and led Belgium with 6.0 take-ons per 90 minutes throughout World Cup qualifying.
Honorable mention: Mario Balotelli, Italy (AC Milan); Victor Moses, Nigeria (Liverpool)
24 years old
Daniel Sturridge, England (Liverpool)
Sturridge accounts for roughly 20 percent of Liverpool's goals this season, and given his breakout performance in the 2013-14 campaign the striker is expected to play a big role for England this summer. Sturridge's 3.7 shots per 90 minutes rank second on Liverpool, and he is currently one of only three players to score 20 or more Premier League goals this season.
Honorable mention: Thomas Muller, Germany (Bayern Munich); Toni Kroos, Germany (Bayern Munich); Kevin Strootman, Netherlands (Roma); Miralem Pjanic, Bosnia (Roma)
25 years old
Diego Costa, Spain (Atletico Madrid)
Costa's 27 goals rank third in La Liga, and his play in the opponent's penalty area is the main reason he is starting to be regarded as one of the best strikers in the world. Costa leads La Liga with 233 total touches in the opponent's penalty area, and 26 of his 27 goals this season have come from this part of the field.
Honorable mention: Marco Reus, Germany (Borussia Dortmund); Mesut Ozil, Germany (Arsenal); Alexis Sanchez, Chile (Barcelona); Mats Hummels, Germany (Borussia Dortmund); Shinji Kagawa, Japan (Manchester United); Kwadwo Asamoah, Ghana (Juventus); Willian, Brazil (Chelsea)
26 years old
Lionel Messi, Argentina (Barcelona)
Messi will turn 27 during the group stage of the tournament, and this World Cup will likely be the best opportunity for him to cement his legacy. Some are beginning to doubt Messi, as his current tally of 28 goals will not match the 46 goals that he scored in 2012-13. However, the 2.7 chances per 90 minutes that Messi has created this season eclipse the 1.5 chances per 90 minutes created in 2012-13, and while his finishing this campaign was not as strong as in 2012-13, the fact he is averaging the same 2.6 shots on target in both seasons implies that he may just need to find his form.
Honorable mention: Sergio Aguero, Argentina (Manchester City); Angel Di Maria, Argentina (Real Madrid); Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina (Napoli); Marcelo, Brazil (Real Madrid); Karim Benzema, France (Real Madrid); Javier Hernandez, Mexico (Manchester United); Michael Bradley, United States (Toronto FC)
27 years old
Luis Suarez, Uruguay (Liverpool)
The reigning PFA Player of the Year will be marked tightly in the World Cup, as his 31 goals are currently tied with Cristiano Ronaldo for the most across Europe's top five domestic leagues. Suarez also leads the Premier League lead with 12 assists, and his CONMEBOL-high 11 goals in World Cup qualifying indicate that he is adept at playing well on the international stage.
Honorable mention: Arturo Vidal, Chile (Juventus); Jan Vertonghen, Belgium (Tottenham); David Luiz, Brazil (Chelsea); Edinson Cavani, Uruguay (Paris Saint-Germain); Blaise Matuidi, France (Paris Saint-Germain); Olivier Giroud, France (Arsenal); Gervinho, Ivory Coast (Arsenal); Cesc Fabregas, Spain (Barcelona)
28 years old
Wayne Rooney, England (Manchester United)
Rooney reprises his role as a scorer with England, and averaged 1.3 goals and 5.2 shots per 90 minutes during World Cup qualifying, as opposed to 0.6 goals and 3.5 shots per 90 minutes with Manchester United this season. Rooney also created 3.0 chances per 90 minutes throughout World Cup qualifying, as opposed to 1.9 in the current United campaign, so there is evidence that he will be among England's top performers as the World Cup tournament moves along.
Honorable mention: Edin Dzeko, Bosnia (Manchester City); Sergio Ramos, Spain (Real Madrid); Vincent Kompany, Belgium (Manchester City); Manuel Neuer, Germany (Bayern Munich); Luka Modric, Croatia (Real Madrid); Falcao, Colombia (AS Monaco); David Silva, Spain (Manchester City)
29 years old
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (Real Madrid)
Ronaldo leads players across Europe's top five leagues with 7.3 shots per 90 minutes, and the attacker's 31 goals this season are tied for the most across Europe. For Portugal, Ronaldo's 6.7 shots per 90 minutes throughout World Cup qualifying do not quite match his output at Real Madrid, but he did create 2.0 chances per 90 minutes for Portugal as opposed to 1.6 in his current Madrid campaign, and the winger's eight goals throughout qualifying ranked third overall among UEFA players.
Honorable mention: Giorgio Chiellini, Italy (Juventus); Bastian Schweinsteiger, Germany (Bayern Munich); Thiago Silva, Brazil (Paris Saint-Germain); Pablo Zabaleta, Argentina (Manchester City); Fernandinho, Brazil (Manchester City); Per Mertesacker, Germany (Arsenal); Leighton Baines, England (Everton)
30 years old
Philipp Lahm, Germany (Bayern Munich)
Lahm has been heavily praised for his increased role with Bayern Munich this season, and has recorded almost 10 percent more touches on the ball than he did in the 2012-13 season. He is also posting a 91 percent pass completion percentage while attempting more passes than any Bundesliga player this season (2,321), and defensively his 37 total interceptions rank second among his Bayern teammates.
Honorable mention: Andres Iniesta, Spain (Barcelona); Robin van Persie, Netherlands (Manchester United); Arjen Robben, Netherlands (Bayern Munich); Stephan Lichtsteiner, Switzerland (Juventus); Fred, Brazil (Fluminense); Daniele De Rossi, Italy (Roma)
31 years old
Yaya Toure, Ivory Coast (Manchester City)
Toure will turn 31 on May 13, and while in the midst of a domestic title run the Manchester City midfielder is enjoying the best offensive season of his career. Toure's 20 goals currently rank third in the Premier League, but more impressive is that his 62 total shot attempts this season are fewer than the 69 shots that he needed to score just seven goals in 2012-13.
Toure has also shown proficiency for scoring from direct free kicks this season, and his four goals from such instances are tied for the most across Europe's top five leagues. Similar to his efficiency in open play, Toure has needed just seven direct free kick attempts to score those goals, and his timely scoring will be heavily relied upon in the Ivory Coast midfield.
Honorable mention: Franck Ribery, France (Bayern Munich); Dani Alves, Brazil (Barcelona); Thiago Motta, Italy (Paris Saint-Germain)
32 years old
Iker Casillas, Spain (Real Madrid)
Casillas has played all 12 Champions League games for Real Madrid this season, and has recorded five clean sheets along the way. And even though Casillas has a strong team in front of him, the Spanish goalkeeper still averages 3.7 saves per game (12th in Champions League), and his 25 total diving saves are more than any other goalkeeper in the tournament.
Honorable mention: Xabi Alonso, Spain (Real Madrid)
33 years old
Patrice Evra, France (Manchester United)
Evra remained a reliable presence on United's back line this season, and although he turns 33 years old on May 15, his 2,984 minutes to date are almost 400 more than the next United outfield player. And while Evra's 1.5 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per 90 minutes mirror the 1.8 tackles and 1.4 interceptions he provided last season, the French defender is averaging three more touches per 90 minutes in the attacking half of the field this campaign while creating 1.1 chances per 90 minutes as opposed to the 0.7 he provided last season.
Honorable mention: Ashley Cole, England (Chelsea); Gareth Barry, England (Manchester City on loan to Everton); Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon (Chelsea)
34 years old
Steven Gerrard, England (Liverpool)
Gerrard led all England outfield players with 690 minutes in World Cup qualifying, and even though he turns 34 years old on May 30, Gerrard has demonstrated that he can still play at a high level. And although 10 of Gerrard's 13 goals for Liverpool this season have come from penalties, the captain ranks second in the Prem in assists (11). Plus, his 63 total chances created this season rank third on Liverpool.
Honorable mention: Xavi Hernandez, Spain (Barcelona)
35 and over
Andrea Pirlo, Italy (Juventus)
Pirlo currently ranks second in the Serie A with 89 touches per 90 minutes, and as he turns 35 on May 19, it is incredible to think that the Italian midfielder can still have so much influence on a match. Pirlo also led Italy with 813 minutes played through World Cup qualifying, and his 27 total chances created over that stretch ranked eighth among UEFA players.
Honorable mention: Tim Howard, 35, United States (Everton); Miroslav Klose, 36, Germany (Lazio); Gianluigi Buffon, 36, Italy (Juventus); Didier Drogba, 36, Ivory Coast (Galatasaray)
