In the Premier League era, a growing number of players, including Ryan Giggs, have continued to play into their forties. Giggs is one of the 11 oldest players to have ever played in the Premier League. It will come as no surprise to learn that the Welshman is joined in that achievement by several goalkeepers. Of course, this is a position that requires lightning-quick reflexes, if not the ability to cover ground across the pitch.
As time has gone on, footballers of all positions have been able to prolong their careers well into their late thirties. Better treatment for injuries has certainly enabled that, as have general health and fitness regimes.
Sir Stanley Matthews is one of England's greatest ever players. He famously played professionally until he was 50. Although nobody in the Premier League has reached that milestone, players are getting close. The following rankings lists the 11 oldest players to have played in England's top flight since it was rebranded to the Premier League.
11 Oldest Players to Have Played in the Premier League
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11 Ryan Giggs
Manchester United
Ryan Giggs in the Champions League
Welshman Ryan Giggs is one of Manchester United's greatest players in their History. He was 40 years, five months and seven days old when he played in Manchester United's 3-1 win over Hull City in 2014. That day, he came off of the bench for Glasgow Ranger's Tom Lawrence with 20 minutes left to play.
At the time, Giggs was actually the caretaker manager at Old Trafford after David Moyes had been sacked after only 10 months in charge. United haven't won a Premier League title since they had Giggs in the team. Incredibly, the winger has 13 Premier League titles to his name.
Ryan Giggs Stats
Career length
Number of clubs
Appearances
10 Edwin van der Sar
Manchester United
Edwin van der Sar
Dutchman Edwin van der Sar is ranked as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. Having won the Champions League in 1995 with Ajax, he was still playing between the sticks 16 years later for Manchester United.
He was 40 years, six months and 23 days old in 2011, when he kept goal for United in a 4-2 home Premier League win against Blackpool. On that day, Michael Owen scored United's fourth goal nine minutes from time. United won the Premier League that season, enabling the big Dutchman to go out on a high in front of the home fans.
|Edwin van der Sar Stats|
|Career length|1990 to 2011|
|Number of clubs|Four|
|Appearances|821|
|---|
9 Teddy Sheringham
West Ham United
Teddy Sheringham with West Ham
Well traveled England striker Teddy Sheringham was part of the famous Manchester United side that won the treble in 1999. He was 33 years old the night he scored United equaliser in injury time in the 1999 Champions League Final. Seven years later, in December 2006, he was still playing.
This time for West Ham, where in 2006, he was 40 years, eight months and 28 days old when he came off the Hammers bench with 22 minutes left to replace Carlton Cole against Manchester City. The Hammers lost 1-0 to a late DaMarcus Beasley goal. Although Sheringham did play the following season, it was outside the Premier League for Colchester.
|Teddy Sheringham Stats|
|Career length|1988 to 2008|
|Number of clubs|Seven|
|Appearances|677|
|---|
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8 Jens Lehmann
Arsenal
Jens Lehmann directing his defence while in goal for Arsenal
German keeper Jens Lehmann was a colourful character for Arsenal. He was 41 years and five months old exactly, when he kept goal for the Gunners in a 3-1 away win at Blackpool. That day Robin van Persie sealed the win with Arsenal's third goal. Lehman made a big contribution to Arsene Wenger's Arsenal side.
He was ever present in Arsenal's Premier League winning invincibles season in 2004. He was also first choice keeper in 2006, when Arsenal reached the Champions League final. Sadly for the German, he was sent off for a professional foul in the final against Barcelona. Arsenal ended up losing 2-1.
|Jens Lehmann Stats|
|Career length|1988 to 2011|
|Number of clubs|Five|
|Appearances|793|
|---|
7 Kevin Poole
Bolton Wanderers
Kevin Poole
Goalkeeper Kevin Poole was just 11 days older than Jens Lehmann to earn his place as seventh in these rankings. Naturally, for a player whose career went on until he was 41 in the Premier League, Poole's career spanned an incredible 33 years between 1981 and 2014.
Even aged 50, he was in Burton Albion's squad, albeit outside the Premier League. Poole was 41 years, five months and 11 days old when he played between the sticks for Bolton in their 1-1 home draw with West Brom in 2005. That day, El-Hadji Diouf earned Poole's Bolton a late point.
|Kevin Poole Stats|
|Career length|1981 to 2014|
|Number of clubs|Nine|
|Appearances|431|
|---|
6 Neville Southall
Bradford City
Neville Southall
Neville Southall would certainly rank in an all-time best Welsh eleven. At his peak, with Everton in the 1980s, Southall could lay claim to being one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Having won the First Division title with Everton in 1985 and 1987, Southall continued to play into his forties in the 2000s for Bradford.
The big Welshman was 41 years, five months & 25 days old when he played for Bradford against Leeds in November 2000. Leeds won 2-1. It was Southall's only Premier League appearance that season and it would be his last. Although he was a club coach at the time and only played that day as all Bradford's goalies were injured.
|Neville Southall Stats|
|Career length|1980 to 2000|
|Number of clubs|Eight|
|Appearances|887|
|---|
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5 Mark Schwarzer
Chelsea
Mark Schwarzer
In March 2015, the season before Leicester City won the Premier League, Mark Schwarzer played in goal for them in a 0-0 draw with Hull City. It was one of six appearances he made for the Foxes in the 2014/15 season. He failed to finish on the winning side in any of those games.
He is considered one of Australia's best ever players. Having been first choice goalkeeper at Middlesbrough and Fulham, at the age of 40, the big Australian signed for Chelsea. At Stamford Bridge, aged 41 years and 65 days old, he became the oldest debutante in the Champions League, keeping a clean sheet too.
|Mark Schwarzer Stats|
|Career length|1984 to 2016|
|Number of clubs|Seven|
|Appearances|701|
|---|
4 Brad Friedel
Tottenham Hotspur
MixCollage-05-Dec-2024-05-00-PM-5382
Brad Friedel was six years older than his then manager Andre Villas-Boas when he tended goal for Spurs aged 42 years, five months and 23 days old. The game was a 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle in 2013. It was Friedel's only Premier League appearance of the season, with Hugo Lloris being the favoured number one choice in goal.
The Frenchman was injured that day. Friedel didn't play in England until he was 26. He played for Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Spurs in the Premier League between 1997 and 2013. He also earned 82 caps for the USA national side.
|Brad Friedel Stats|
|Career length|1995 to 2013|
|Number of clubs|Seven|
|Appearances|668|
|---|
3 Steve Orgrizovic
Coventry City
Steve Ogrizovic
Big Coventry City keeper Steve Orgrizovic played in the club's finest ever hour, the 1987 3-2 win over Spurs in the FA Cup Final. Ogrizovic spent 16 years at Coventry. In 2000, aged 42 years, seven months and 24 days old, he played in a thumping 4-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
Having been a first team regular for years, he played just three Premier League games in the 1999/00 season. By this time, Magnus Hedman was Coventry's number one. He was eight minutes from going out with a clean sheet, but Gilles De Bilde scored a consolation goal for Wednesday.
|Steve Ogrizovic Stats|
|Career length|1977 to 2000|
|Number of clubs|Four|
|Appearances|611|
|---|
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2 Alec Chamberlain
Watford
Alec Chamberlain & Ben Foster
Alec Chamberlain is perhaps best known for his nine-year stint at Vicarage Road with Watford. He didn't sign for the club until he was 32, but stayed until he was in his forties. The goalkeeper was 42 years, 10 months and 23 days old when he played in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle in 2007.
That day, Aidy Boothroyd brought Chamberlain on for Ben Foster in injury time. He'd signed a one-year extension to his contract the season prior. In the 1999/2000 season, he made 27 Premier League appearances for the club. This is the highest number of games he played in the division in his career.
|Alec Chamberlain Stats|
|Career length|1981 to 2007|
|Number of clubs|Nine|
|Appearances|788|
|---|
1 John Burridge
Manchester City
John Burridge
John Burridge was something of an eccentric character. Absolutely dedicated to his fitness and craft of goalkeeping, he would often walk on his hands to entertain fans. He was also known to occasionally wear a Superman outfit beneath his goalkeeping kit. Later in his career, he became something of a goalkeeper for hire, playing for 14 different clubs between 1993 and 1997.
In 1995, with all three of Manchester City's goalkeepers either injured or suspended, then City manager Brian Horton brought Burridge in as cover. In May 1995, aged 43 years, five months and 11 days, Burridge played for City against QPR. The veteran keeper couldn't prevent Les Ferdinand scoring an eighty-ninth minute QPR winner. Although Burridge's record of playing well past 43 is a Premier League record not likely to be broken.
|John Burridge Stats|
|Career length|1981 to 2014|
|Number of clubs|24|
|Appearances|768|
|---|
All stats via Transfermarkt correct as of 12/12/24.