Larsson, Adebayor, Joaquin: 14 forgotten footballers who are still playing right now

They say a career as a footballer is always a short one, and they’re absolutely right.

Even those who manage to find supreme levels of longevity to their game are usually done by their mid-thirties, while some look ready to hang up the boots as soon as they enter their thirties altogether.

It’s difficult to leave behind what is such a difficult industry to make a career out of, though, and with sports science constantly developing, some of the world’s best are now extending their careers at the top to freakish stints.

You only have to look at the influence of a 39-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimovic at AC Milan, who has just lifted the Serie A title with the Rossoneri. Or at the timeless Real Madrid duo of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, who, at 36 and 32 respectively, were able to dominate in last season’s Champions League and carry Real Madrid to their 14th title.

And then we have to talk about Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Ronaldo, now 37, has just returned to Manchester United and put together a 24 goal season in all competitions, while Messi is still operating at his equally superhuman levels aged 35.

But while there is that elite group who continue to defy the odds, there are also the players that were once prominent within the top leagues or famous for their exploits elsewhere, but have since fallen away from the limelight completely.

As a result, we simply forget about them, assuming the players we once had a solid memory of have merely slipped into quiet retirement. And while many are happy to do that, there is a select group of footballers who were once big names, that are still plying their trade to absolutely nobody’s knowledge.

Well, most people’s knowledge, of course. The following 14 footballers were once