Oldest Premier League Players- Ranked

Apart from attractive football, the Premier League is considered one of the most physically demanding leagues in the world. However, Chelsea manager and former Paris Saint-Germain boss had a different opinion, claiming Ligue 1 is the most physical in the world, as per the Daily Mail, while the top-flight in English football is the toughest on the players’ bodies. The need for high-intensity activities and loads of running carried out by the players in the league makes the above statement true, says Analytics FC.

Moreover, the Premier League sits on top for the most injuries as well compared to the other leagues in the continent. According to ESPN, a noteworthy number of 1,231 separate injuries were registered in the 2021/22 season; in second is Germany’s Bundesliga with 1,205 reports. Advancements in technology and recovery practices over the years have helped improve treatments over the last 10 to 12 years.

Surprisingly, the following players are way past their youthful days but still manage to find a spot in the world’s most physically demanding league. Even though the age bracket is known, no one seems to match the age of English football’s oldest player, John Burridge, at 43 years old, representing Manchester City. He has been donning the blue jersey since May 1995.

The highest number of oldies are mostly goalkeepers, with Teddy Sheringham being the only one to score rather than stop balls at the age of 40 in the Premier League. The current generation, who are in the last days of their careers, have quite impressive physicality for the demands of the game.

10. Chris Basham – 35 years old

Blades defender Chris Basham has been with the club in their last two stints in the Premier League. In 2014, he joined Sheffield United as a free agent from Bolton, where he has been ever since. Beginning his youthful days at the Bolton academy before joining the South Yorkshire club eight years later. Throughout his career, he has managed to play in three of the four football leagues with the club.

9. Willian – 35 years old

The Brazilian winger has had a long top-flight career in England. Shockingly, it was Tottenham who first planned to buy Willian before Chelsea hijacked the move, taking the player to London. He spent most of his best years at the club before joining Arsenal in 2020, then coming back to Fulham after spending one year in his home country.

8. Angelo Ogbonna – 35 years old

The Hammers have the second-oldest squad average in the Premier League with two players featuring on the list. Ogbonna joined the club eight years ago, which would be quite a surprise for most people. After making his name with giants Juventus, the Italian moved to England. The move has also brought success to his career after he won the Conference League in the 2022/23 season.

7. Adam Lallana – 35 years old

Adam Lallana moved to Brighton and Hove Albion after winning the Premier League with Liverpool. The Englishman has found the net on 33 occasions and also assisted 32 times. His career has spanned 10 years, but he has only managed 246 appearances so far.

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6. Jonny Evans – 35 years old

The Irish defender made an unlikely Premier League return in the 2023/24 season. He joined Manchester United after 15 years after being relegated from Leicester City. His previous spell at Manchester United saw him enjoy absolute success, winning the Premier League three times, followed by two English League Cups and a Champions League. He was also part of the Leicester side that lifted the FA Cup in 2021.

5. Tim Ream – 36 years old

The only American-born player in this list, the Fulham number 13, is the oldest Premier League player in the Cottage. Having played for Fulham nearly for a decade, he has helped his side gain promotion on three different occasions.

4. James Milner – 37 years old

Since marking his debut in the 2002/23 campaign, James Milner has been going strong in the Premier League. His fitness is a testament to his longevity. Andy Robertson said, “I don’t think I’ll ever see someone as fit as him”. The midfielder sits second in the all-time Premier League appearances list and is just 20 appearances away from breaking the record held by Gareth Barry.

3. Ashley Young – 38 years old

The Everton full-back has spent most of his career playing for one or another of the 20 best teams in English football, but just two seasons were spent away at Inter Milan in 2019/20 and 2020/21. From his debut till date, he has managed to play 541 matches out of a possible 700. He has scored 85 career goals, out of which 57 have been in top-flight games.

2. Lukasz Fabianski – 38 years old

The Polish goalkeeper won his first-ever European trophy, the Conference League, with West Ham United in 2023. The only short-tenured player on the list with the Hammers for just half a decade before wearing the colors of Arsenal and Swansea. His success did not stop at the club level but also at the national level after he was named his country’s 2019 Player of the Year.

1. Thiago Silva – 39 years old

The oldest player in the Premier League, he arrived in London in 2020 and is yet to win any domestic silverware for the club but has won the UEFA Champions League in 2021. Outside England, he has won seven league titles with PSG and one with AC Milan.