10 oldest soccer players still making history on the pitch

Who holds the title of the oldest active soccer player today? At 63, Robert Carmona leads the pack, alongside veterans like Kazuyoshi Miura, 58, and Georgi Petkov, 49. Their lasting presence on the field proves that in soccer, passion and determination have no age.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

• Robert Carmona (63) is listed in the Guinness World Records as the oldest active footballer, still playing in Uruguay.
• Kazuyoshi “King Kazu” Miura (58) is preparing to start his 40th professional season, marking a career stretched across five decades.
• The Bulgarian goalkeeper Georgi Petkov (48) still competes at the top level with Slavia Sofia.

Meet the oldest soccer player icons still on the pitch

On average, most professional soccer players retire around the age of 35. Yet, some legends continue to push the boundaries, remaining active on the pitch well into their 40s, 50s, and even 60s. Here is a look at the oldest soccer stars still leaving their mark on the game.

Player	Age (as of September 2025)
Robert Carmona	63 years old
Miura Kazuyoshi	58 years old
Georgi Petkov	49 years old
Ferreira Pinto	45 years old
Fábio	45 years old
Roque Santa Cruz	44 years old
Thiago Silva	41 years old
Santi Cazorla	40 years old
Cristiano Ronaldo	40 years old
Łukasz Fabiański	40 years old

10. Łukasz Fabiański – 40 years old

• Full name: Łukasz Marek Fabiański
• Date of birth: 18 April 1985
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Current team: West Ham United F.C.

Łukasz Fabiański is a Polish goalkeeper currently playing for West Ham United in the English Premier League. He extended his contract in September 2025, keeping him at the London Stadium until the end of the 2025/26 season.

The Polish footballer began his professional football career in 2004 with Lech Poznań, then rose to prominence at Legia Warsaw in 2005. He joined Arsenal in 2007, spending seven seasons and winning the FA Cup in 2014 before moving to Swansea City.

9. Cristiano Ronaldo – 40 years old

• Full name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
• Date of birth: 5 February 1985
• Position: Forward
• Current team: Al-Nassr FC

Ronaldo is also among the oldest active footballers in the world. Christiano Ronaldo plays as a forward for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Ronaldo signed a two-year contract extension with Al Nassr in June 2025, keeping him at the club until 2027. He previously played for Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Los Angeles FC, achieving remarkable success and scoring records at each club.

8. Santi Cazorla – 40 years old

• Full name: Santiago Cazorla González
• Date of birth: 13 December 1984
• Position: Midfielder
• Current team: Real Oviedo

Santi Cazorla began his professional career with Villarreal in 2003 before moving on to including Recreativo Huelva, Villarreal (second spell), Arsenal, and Villarreal (third spell). In 2022, Cazorla joined his boyhood club, Real Oviedo, where he continues to play as a midfielder.

7. Thiago Silva – 41 years old

• Full name: Thiago Emiliano da Silva
• Date of birth: 22 September 1984
• Position: Centre-back
• Current team: Fluminense FC

Thiago Emiliano da Silva was born on 22 September 1984 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He began his professional career with Fluminense in 2002. He later moved to Europe, featuring for Dynamo Moscow, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and Chelsea.

In 2024, Silva returned to Fluminense on a two-year contract as a central defender. Over his career, he has earned numerous domestic and international titles, including Serie A, Ligue 1, the UEFA Champions League, and the Copa América with Brazil.

6. Roque Santa Cruz – 44 years old

• Full name: Roque Luis Santa Cruz Cantero
• Date of birth: 16 August 1981
• Position: Forward
• Current team: Club Libertad

Roque Santa Cruz is another active, oldest soccer player. Santa has been playing forward for Club Libertad in Paraguay’s Primera Division since 2022. The professional footballer has scored every calendar year since 1998, achieving an impressive streak of 28 consecutive years scoring in top-tier football.

5. Fábio – 45 years old

• Full name: Fábio Deivson Lopes Maciel
• Date of birth: 30 September 1980
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Current team: Fluminense

Fábio was born on 30 January 1980 in Campinas, Brazil. Deivson officially started his professional career with Cruzeiro in 2000. He had previously made an appearance as a substitute goalkeeper in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in 1999.

Fábio plays for Fluminense in Brazil’s top-tier league, the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. Over his career, he has won multiple domestic titles, including the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and Copa do Brasil. He has also served as a mentor to younger players.

4. Ferreira Pinto – 45 years old

• Full name: Adriano Ferreira Pinto
• Date of birth: 10 December 1979
• Position: Right winger
• Current team: ASDC Almè

The footballer was born on 10 December 1979 in Quinta do Sol, Brazil. He currently plays as a right-winger for Italian club ASDC Almè. Adriano signed a one-year contract with Almè in July 2025, after spending ten years at AC Ponte San Pietro.

3. Georgi Petkov – 49 years old

• Full name: Georgi Stoyanov Petkov
• Date of birth: 14 March 1976
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Current team: PFC Slavia Sofia

Georgi Petkov was born on 14 March 1976 in Parardzhik, Bulgaria. He is one of the best goalkeepers and the captain for Slavia Sofia in the Bulgarian First League.

Petkov began his professional career with Slavia Sofia in 1996, later playing for Levski Sofia and Cyprus’ Enosis Paralimni, before returning to Slavia Sofia in 2012, where he still is. Petkov’s career has been remarkable, winning the Bulgarian Goalkeeper of the Year award four times (2002, 2007, 2008, and 2018).

2. Miura Kazuyoshi – 58 years old

• Full name: Kazuyoshi “Kazu” Miura
• Date of birth: 26 February 1967
• Age: 58 years old (as of 2025)
• Position: Forward
• Current team: Atletico Suzuka

Miura Kazuyoshi is the current oldest football player still playing in the Japan Football League. He currently plays for Athletico Suzuka, a fourth-tier club in Japan’s Football League (JFL), on loan from Yokohama FC.

Miura’s loan contract runs through 31 January 2026. His football journey began in 1986 with Santos in Brazil. He represented Japan internationally from 1990 to 2000, earning 89 caps and scoring 55 goals. Miura has competed professionally in Brazil, Croatia, Italy, Australia, and Portugal.

1. Robert Carmona – 63 years old

• Full name: Robert Carmona
• Date of birth: 30 April 1962
• Age: 63 years old (as of 2025)
• Position: Centre-back
• Current team: Nuevo Casabó

Robert Carmona is the oldest soccer player of all time. He plays as a centre-back and captains a fourth-division club, Nuevo Casabó.

The Uruguayan footballer holds the Guinness World Record for the longest uninterrupted football career, having played professionally since 1976. Throughout his career, Carmona has played in over 2,200 official matches for more than 30 clubs across Uruguay, Canada, the U.S., El Salvador, Paraguay, Argentina, and Italy.

The oldest active male footballer today is Robert Carmona, a 63-year-old centre-back from Uruguay. He currently plays for Nuevo Casabó.

Ezzeldin Bahader, an Egyptian footballer, holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest professional player in history. In March 2020, at 74 years and 125 days, he set the milestone by playing for 6th October Club, a third-division team in Egypt.

The oldest active footballer in the Premier League right now is Łukasz Marek Fabiański, who plays for West Ham United F.C. as a goalkeeper.

Robert Carmona stands as the oldest soccer player in the world, defying age with every performance. Over four decades on the field, he has not only distinguished himself professionally but also inspired generations with his enduring passion and dedication to the game.

Legit.ng recently published an article on the youngest F1 drivers. In recent years, many drivers have debuted in F1 before turning 20, highlighting the sport’s growing commitment to developing young talent.

Max Verstappen is the youngest Formula 1 driver. Other notable young debutants include Lando Norris, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Vettel. To delve deeper into their journeys and achievements, read the full article.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng