10 Oldest Footballers Called Up For World Cup 2018
Age is just a number.
The talents of a football player are said to peak at around the age of 27/28. At that point, the average player has plenty of experience behind them, while also being in peak physical form, with all the power and pace they need to succeed.
In the years that follow, players tend to get a little slower, a little less efficient, and a little less successful on the pitch, with many choosing to retire or make the move to less competitive leagues in their early thirties.
Some, however, seem to have found the fountain of youth. They're still technically getting older each and every year, obviously, but manage to maintain an impressive level of form and fitness that belies their years.
Some are even good enough to be called up for huge global tournaments like the World Cup, and carry on representing their country at an age when many of their fellow professionals have decided to call it quits.
At this summer's World Cup, we'll naturally be excited to see all the raw young talent out there, but a special round of applause is well-deserved for the oldest players who are still kicking and proving that age really is just a number.
10. Willy Caballero (36) - Argentina
Argentina's number one at the World Cup was set to be Manchester United's reserve keeper, Sergio Romero. However, Romero has since picked up an injury and is set to be ruled out, giving 36-year-old Willy Caballero the chance of becoming the starter between the sticks for the Albiceleste.
Caballero, currently a backup keeper at Chelsea, has only played for the national side twice before and is highly unlikely to ever appear at another international tournament, but could profit from Romero's absence to demonstrate his skills on the biggest stage of all, with only Nahuel Guzmán and uncapped Franco Armani, both of whom are also in their thirties, as his current competition.
Caballero has never been regarded as a truly world class keeper, but he's still an impressive big game player, proving himself a League Cup hero for Manchester City when he saved three penalties in the final and helping Chelsea to their recent FA Cup triumph too, despite not appearing in the final. He's a really decent shot-stopper and is especially good in penalty shootouts, so could be a great option for Argentina.