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It is now universally accepted that there is simply too much football. With Premier League matches taking place every night of the week, numerous cup competitions and the return of European football, it can be difficult to keep up to speed with everything going on .
And so you are forgiven if you have little to no idea what is currently happening in the Chinese Super League, for example, or the Qatar Stars League.
But that does unfortunately mean you’re likely unaware of all the old Premier League and European favourites still going strong around the globe. Did you know that 37-year-old former Chelsea favourite Michael Essien is still playing regularly for Azerbaijani side Sabail FK? Or that cult hero Eric Djemba-Djemba is now turning out for Swiss fifth-tier side FC Vallorbe-Ballaigues?
Below, we have rounded up 42 familiar faces that we are certain you will be surprised to learn are still playing. In fact, if you already knew that more than 10 were still going strong – we salute you.
Did we miss anybody particularly noteworthy? Make sure you let us know in the comments below. And if you have a working knowledge of the Turkish Süper Lig or support İstanbul Başakşehir you are banned from taking part, as you are clearly already an expert on football’s golden oldies.
Show all 43 1 /43The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing We’re going to stick our neck on the line here. We’re confident that you’re not going to know that at least 30 of these 42 footballers are still going strong.
The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Michael Essien (Sabail) The Ghana international is still going strong at the ripe old age of 37. Has starred for Panathinaikos and the pleasingly named Persib Bandung in recent seasons – now with Sabail in the Azerbaijan Premier League. We would love to provide you with some more information, but the club was only formed four years ago and their Wikipedia page is still 50 words long.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Roque Santa Cruz (Olimpia) The former Bayern Munich, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City striker returned to his youth team, Olimpia, in 2016 and has helped his new (old?) side win the Paraguayan title.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Eric Djemba-Djemba (FC Vallorbe-Ballaigues) So good they named him twice. Good enough for Swiss fifth-tier side FC Vallorbe-Ballaigues, anyway.
The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Shunsuke Nakamura (Yokohama) Began his career at Yokohama Marinos – who he played over 300 times for across two different spells – so eyebrows were raised when he joined cross-town rivals Yokohama FC last season. 41-years-old, but a spring chicken compared to 52-year-old team-mate Kazuyoshi Miura. There must be something in the Yokohama water.
The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Nigel de Jong (Al-Shahania) The 2010 World Cup finalist and infamous kung-fu kicker now plays for Al-Shahania SC in the Qatar Stars League.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Pascal Chimbonda (Ashton Town) Look up the word ‘nomad’ in the dictionary and there’s a picture of Pascal Chimbonda. Since leaving Blackburn Rovers in 2011, the full-back has played for – deep breath – Queens Park Rangers, Doncaster Rovers, Market Drayton Town, Carlisle United, AC Arles-Avignon, Washington and Ashton Town. Phew.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Claudio Pizarro (Werder Bremen) The 41-year-old still plays regularly for Werder Bremen, although he is yet to score in the Bundesliga this season.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Yaya Toure (Qingdao Huanghai) Has repeatedly flirted with retirement only to change his mind and sign for another club. Currently turning out for Qingdao Huanghai, helping them to win promotion to the Chinese Super League last season.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Milan Baros (Baník Ostrava) The former Liverpool, Aston Villa and Portsmouth striker – who won the golden boot at Euro 2004 – is back in his native Czech Republic playing for Baník Ostrava.
The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Alex Hleb (Isloch Minsk Raion) Hleb played against former club Arsenal when BATE Borisov were drawn in their Europa League group last season. This summer, he left the Belarusian side for an incredible SIXTH time, to sign for Isloch Minsk Raion.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Matthew Kilgallon (Hydrebad FC) The 36-year-old defender, who starred in the Premier League for Leeds United, Sheffield United and Sunderland, made surely one of the most bizarre transfers of all-time when he switched the wind and rain at Hamilton Academical for Hyderabad FC of the Indian Super League.
The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Robinho (İstanbul Başakşehir) The former Real Madrid and Manchester City striker left Atlético Mineiro in 2017, heading to Turkey to play for Sivasspor and, now, İstanbul Başakşehir. But the goals haven’t been forthcoming – he has managed just four in 30.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Demba Ba (İstanbul Başakşehir) Robinho plays up front for İstanbul Başakşehir alongside … Demba Ba! And the old Premier League favourite has been much more successful, managing 8 in 23 since his transfer from Shanghai Shenhua.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Gael Clichy (İstanbul Başakşehir) The İstanbul Başakşehir banter doesn't stop there. The Turkish outfit currently have 34-year-old Arsenal turncoat Gael Clichy starring at left-back, where he plays alongside...
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Martin Skrtel (İstanbul Başakşehir) ... Martin Skrtel! With hair! Now 35-years old, the ex-Liverpool man moved to the club from Atalanta. He left the Italian side after just three weeks, reportedly after his wife took a dislike to northern Italy.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Thomas Vermaelen (Vissel Kobe) The former Arsenal and Barcelona defender followed Andrés Iniesta to Japanese side Vissel Kobe. Last seen missing a penalty in the worst shootout of all time.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart) Returned to his boyhood club VfB Stuttgart upon leaving Wolfsburg in 2018 and has been a success down in 2. Bundesliga, featuring regularly.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Brad Guzan (Atlanta United) Remarkably, still only 35. Still at MLS outfit Atlanta United, the club he joined upon leaving Middlesbrough in 2017.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Reto Ziegler (Dallas) The former Tottenham man now turns out for FC Dallas, after signing for Juventus in 2011 and failing to ever make an appearance.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Mousa Dembéle (Guangzhou R&F) No, the Tottenham legend didn’t retire after leaving Spurs last season. Instead he joined Guangzhou R&F despite his well-documented injury problems.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Keisuke Honda (Botafogo) The Japanese icon has an awful lot on his plate these days. Keisuke Honda currently plays for Brazilian side Botafogo while also working as general manager and coach of the, er, Cambodia national team.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Vagner Love (Corinthians) The Brazilian forward with a legendary penchant for hanky-panky only lasted two seasons at Beşiktaş and is now back in Brazil playing for Corinthians.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Carlos Tevez (Boca) The 36-year-old is still turning out for Boca Juniors. He’s now in his third spell at the club.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Lukas Podolski (Antalyaspor) The 34-year-old made waves when he left Galatasaray to sign for Vissel Kobe. But the former Germany international left the Japanese side only last month, to sign for Turkish side Antalyaspor.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Jo (Nagoya Grampus) Somewhat incredibly – former Manchester City man Jo is still just 32-years-old. And he’s banging in the goals, too: he’s scored 30 in 65 league outings for Nagoya Grampus.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Alexander Büttner (New England Revolution) The Manchester United cult hero signed for MLS outfit New England Revolution for the 2020 season.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Brad Jones (Al-Nassr) The Australian goalkeeper turned out for just about every club in England before departing for NEC in 2016. Moved to Feyenoord a year later and now stars for Saudi side Al-Nassr FC.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Emre Belozoglu (Fenerbache) 39-years-old and still going strong during his second stint at Fenerbahçe. A regular for the Turkey national team, too.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Nani (Orlando) The former Manchester United man enjoyed a successful season with Sporting last year. He left in the summer, for Orlando City.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Salomon Kalou (Hertha Berlin) Until very recently the 34-year-old former Chelsea forward was still banging in the goals for Hertha Berlin. Had a falling out with Jürgen Klinsmann but his fortunes could improve after the Germany legend stepped down after just ten weeks in charge.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Jay Bothroyd (Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo) The 37-year-old – who famously left Coventry for Perugia in 2003 – has recently turned out for Muangthong United, Júbilo Iwata and Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Maynor Figueroa (Houston Dynamo) The Honduran legend has become an MLS favourite in recent years. Now playing for Houston Dynamo after successful stints at Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Nedum Onuoha (Real Salt Lake) The England defender played in over 200 matches for QPR, leaving in 2018 for Real Salt Lake. His reasoning? “I have always been someone that wanted to go an experience something a bit different.”
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Papiss Cisse (Alanyaspor) The Newcastle United favourite is still banging in the goals. He has a very respectable 31 in 44 for Turkish side Alanyaspor.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Steven Caulker (Alanyaspor) After Caulker's bizarre loan move to Liverpool in 2016, where he featured as an emergency centre-forward, he took his talents north of the border with Dundee, but that move didn't last long after triggering an option to depart Dens Park. Now at Alanyaspor in Turkey, the centre-back is regaining his form.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Cameron Jerome (Göztepe) Perennially never good enough for the Premier League, but a reliable source of goals in the Championship, yet Jerome is yet to crack the Turkish Super League either. Just two goals in his time at Goztepe, a move back to England appears inevitable this summer.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Ricardo Quaresma (Kasımpaşa) Master of the trivela, Quaresma is an enigma, who has endured some bizarre spells around Europe in his career, including a brief stint at Chelsea in 2009. Quaresma found a home of sorts at Besiktas and has remained in Turkey at 36 years of age with Kasimpasa.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing John Obi Mikel (Trabzonspor) The uproar surrounding his move to Chelsea meant he would never quite justify the hype, yet Mikel was invaluable to most of the managers at Stamford Bridge due to his tactical intelligence and reliability to carry out instructions at the base of the midfield. His flair and creativity came out when featuring for Nigeria, but after a bizarre spell at Middlesbrough, he finds himself at Trabzonspor and still only 32.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Hugo Rodallega (Denizlispor) A decent source of goals for both Wigan and Fulham, Rodallega has made a name for himself in Turkey over the last five years; the Colombian has more than 50 goals for Akhisar Belediyespor, Trabzonspor and now Denizlispor.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Stéphane Sessègnon (Gençlerbirliği) Capable of the spectacular in his time at Sunderland and West Brom, the Benin forward, now 35, is rolling out for struggling Gençlerbirliği, who will likely need more than one goal from him this term to beat the drop.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Bradley Wright-Phillips (LAFC) The MLS marksman has carved out a cult following in the States due to his time with the Red Bulls, smashing 108 goals to shoot up to eighth in their all-time top scorers list, expect the 34-year-old to add to that total after joining LAFC, where he'll hope Carlos Vela can supply the bullets for him to fire them to glory.
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The 42 footballers you had no idea were still playing Odion Ighalo (Manchester United) Okay, this one is cheeky, but surely we were not the only ones to completely forget the former Watford man was still playing until Ed Woodward nabbed him from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Greenland Shenhua.
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Take a look at the above gallery to see 42 footballers you will definitely be surprised to learn are still going strong.
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