8 Greatest 30-Somethings In World Football Right Now

3. Franck Ribery

Franck Ribery is not always a player who gets the recognition he deserves worldwide- his dislikeable personality may have something to do with that- but he is a genuinely world-class player, and one who continues to play better in his 30s than in his younger days. The Frenchman has lost none of his electrifying pace yet, and he remains one of the first names on Guardiola's team-sheet at Bayern Munich. The 31-year-old was talked about as one of the greatest young players of his generation a decade or so ago, but for a long time he flattered to deceive. There was clearly sublime talent there, but having moved to Allianz Arena at the age of 24, it took him a while to really become one of Europe's best attacking players. Ribery's performances in the 2012/13 season were particularly magnificent, and he was voted the Champions League's best player that year, ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, as Bayern won Europe's most prestigious club competition. Despite the arrival of younger stars like Mario Gotze and Xherdan Shaqiri, there is no sign that Ribery's place in the side will be up for grabs any time soon. He is still one of the world's best wingers.