With the promise of an enticing Euro 2024 just a year away, let’s take a trip down memory lane and focus on those older bunch who have defied all expectations and produced some form of magic on the Euro stage.
From oldest appearance maker to oldest scorer, let’s delve in!
Gábor Király (40 years, 2 months and 15 days)
Commonly known as ‘Pyjama Man’, Gábor Király is the only 40-something player to feature at a Euros.
Though many will instinctively remember him for his peculiar – but solid – trouser choice, he was also the oldest player to ever play at the competition.
Lothar Matthäus (39 years, 2 months and 30 days)
Matthäus marked the history books in an unfortunate manner as his side lost 3-0 to Portugal back in 2000.
The game was the Bayern and Germany legend’s 150th and final cap for his nation.
Morten Olsen (38 years, 10 months and 3 days)
Danish through and through, Olsen turned his hand to coaching the Denmark national team upon his retirement, which extended his association to the national team to 35 years.
Osen, who amassed a then-Denmark record of 102 caps between 1970 and 1989, was appointed coach in 2000.
Lee Casciaro (41 years, 5 months and 25 days)
A one club man breaking an international record is what dreams are made of.
The Lincoln Red Imps legend came on as a substitute for Gibraltar against Greece in March to make history.
Zlatan Ibrahimović (41 years, 5 months and 21 days)
On the same night as Cascario made his record-breaking appearance, Zlatan Ibrahimovic became the second-oldest player to feature in a Euro qualifier.
Similarly to Casciaro, the 41-year-old was introduced to proceedings as a substitute.
Dino Zoff (41 years, 3 months, and 1 day)
Casciaro overtook the record previously set by Dino Zoff, who was 41 years and 90 days old when he made his then-record setting appearance for Italy.
The record set by the beloved Italian had stood for 40 years, with the record cap coming in a game in 1983.
Ivica Vastic (38 years and 257 days)
Another man who came of the bench to create history.
Ivica Vastic converted just his 14th national team goal to become an esteemed record-breaker. It just so happened that he was celebrating another impressive milestone that game, too, as he ticked off his 50th appearance for Austria.
Goran Pandev (37 years and 321 days)
Pandev scored in the most recent Euros to become the second oldest goalscorer in the competition’s history.
North Macedonia’s talismanic forward enjoyed a hugely successful career overall, winning the UEFA Champions League with Inter in 2010.
Zoltan Gera (37 years and 62 days)
In Euro 2016, Zoltan Gera was awarded with Goal of the Tournament thanks to a wonderful strike against eventual winners Portugal.