We all are really excited about the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Brazil. We are also excited to see how the youngsters are doing in the tournament. The likes of Sterling, Hazard, Courtois, Draxler, Muller, Shaqiri Henderson, Oscar, Chamberlin, Lukaku and many others are the names that come to mind. But the focal point of any team are the seasoned and established players who can lead the team by example. A young player is always said to be fearless and having the hunger to perform. But when the going gets tough the older lot are the ones who are expected to guide the youngsters in the team. We have already seen great examples of these senior players making an impact for their teams during the ongoing World Cup. Here are a few examples.
Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie (Age 30)
The Dutch duo of Robben and Van Persie tore the Spanish defence apart en route to their 5-1 win over defending champions Spain. The Spanish defence had no clue of what hit them. Van Persie's goal, a wonderful diving header drew his team level. Such was the domination that even Iker Casillas one of the best goalkeepers in the world committed a mistake leaving the door open for Van Persie to score his 2nd goal of the match. The sheer speed and determination shown by Robben to outmuscle and outpace Sergio Ramos to score a goal was also truly amazing. At 30 this duo showed the world they have a lot more to offer for years to come.
Andrea Pirlo (Age 35)
A tough match against England and Andrea Pirlo setup possibly one of the best dummy’s in a World Cup game to pave the way for Claudio Marchisio to score the opening goal of the game. Daniel Sturridge the player who took the bait had no clue of what had happened. Such was the brilliance of the move. Critics say that he doesn’t have the legs to make the required runs. But what we saw on the field against England was enough to show that this player still has some fuel left in him.
Steven Gerrard (Age 34)
A lot depends on this player for England to have any hope of making to the knockout stages of the tournament. Known for his daunting runs from midfield and scoring crucial goals for his team in the past to undergoing a seamless transition to the holding midfielder role. This player has shown that he has learnt to adapt and still manages to perform at the highest level with ease. Even though he could not prevent his team from losing he held his ground firm. The manager has so much confidence in his Captain that a seasoned and experienced player like Michael Carrick in the same role has been overlooked.
Didier Drogba (Age 36)
Drogba was left frustrated by his coach by leaving him on the bench for the opening game for Ivory Coast against Japan. With his team trailing Drogba turned out to be an inspiring substitution. He made daunting runs and created space for the other players. He was very influential on the team according to his coach. Even though he did not score, just a few minutes after he arrived Ivory Coast scored two goals just 2 minutes apart to win the game 2-1. Such was the impact of this player that it gave the whole team confidence. And the joy on Drogba's face when his team scored the goals clearly showed the passion and the determination he has as a player.
But many teams along with fans start to doubt these players out as soon as they start entering the 30's bracket saying that age is not on their side. But time and again these critics have been proven wrong and this just goes to show that age is just a number. Not only do these players guide the youngsters they also continue to perform at the highest level for club and country. Its the desire to perform and win that needs to drive a player forward. A player must never be judged by his age. He should be judged on the basis of what he is able to bring to the team on and off the field. There are many more players who will be a shining example and guiding light for their teams as the tournament progresses. We will just have to wait and see who will be able to lead their team to ultimate glory.
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