8 World Class Footballers (Who Were Useless By 30)

Ronaldinho was as close to his generation's Messi or Ronaldo as anyone, but his peak years - brilliant as they were - were also tantalisingly brief. The flamboyant Brazillian only really spent four seasons at the very top of his game, all of them in the colours of Barcelona, before he was cast aside by incoming manager Pep Guardiola in 2008 - just a few months after his 28th birthday.

From the Nou Camp, Ronaldinho moved to Milan, where he spent three seasons which yielded a total of 26 goals - the sort of figure he would reach in just one during his hey-day. After fizzling out again, the attacker then headed back to Brazil, and though he was still being called up to play for the national team right up until 2013, but it was momentary flashes of brilliance - not hair-raising 90-minute performances - that defined his later years.