8 Greatest 30-Somethings In World Football Right Now

7. Xabi Alonso

When Xabi Alonso made the move from Real Madrid to Bayern Munich in the summer, with Toni Kroos going in the opposite direction, many felt that the Spaniard was set to become a squad player in Germany as his career began to wind down. That has proved to be completely wrong, however, and having been superb for Madrid last season, in their Champions League-winning campaign, the Spaniard has been unbelievably good so far at Bayern. The 33-year-old has been breaking all sorts of Bundesliga records since arriving at Allianz Arena, including number of touches in a game and passing accuracy statistics. He has filled the void left by the brilliant Kroos, and there is an argument to say Alonso has actually been more influential than the young German. Alonso is a player who has never relied on pace, much like Xavi and Andrea Pirlo, and for that reason he could go on to thrive well into his 30s. His creativity, defensive expertise and all-round influence remain truly world-class, and Guardiola deserves great credit for bringing the World Cup-winning former Spain international to Bayern.