It’s possible that some of our favorite football players, who have kept us entertained for a number of years, will retire in 2023.
We will forever be indebted to them for all the memories they have given us, though it is sad to see top players retire.
While it’s possible that some of these players will continue to play into their 40s, it’s also possible that we won’t see them again until 2023.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Gianluigi Buffon, among others, appear to improve with age. They will continue to exist after this year.
1. Diego Godin (36 years old)
Diego Godin played for top teams like Inter Milan, Villareal, and Atletico Madrid. He won 8 prizes with Athletico, including the La Liga title in 2013/14.
In 2022, he signed for the Brazilian club Atlético Mineiro after leaving Cagliari.
Godin left them in June 2022 to join the Argentine club Vélez Sarsfield. He may decide to walk away from his contract in 2023.
2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (41 years old)
He won another Serie A title with AC Milan last season, more than a decade after winning the first one for the club.
He had previously won it with Inter Milan and Juventus, making it his seventh overall Serie A title.
Over the course of his career, which has spanned more than two decades and included stints with Ajax, Barcelona, PSG, Manchester United, and LA Galaxy, the Swede has won 34 trophies in all.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic signed a one-year extension with Milan in July 2022, staying for the following season.
3. Andres Iniesta (38 years old)
After a long and successful career with Barcelona, Andres Iniesta signed with Vissel Kobe in Japan in 2018.
Andres Iniesta established himself as one of the greatest soccer players of all time during his active playing years.
The midfielder extended his contract with Vissel Kobe until 2023 in May 2021. It could be his final contract as a player.
4. Giorgio Chiellini (38 years old)
One of the best defenders of his generation. He is known for being strong, aggressive, and good at man-marking. He can also play in a three-man or four-man defense.
He joined Juventus in 2005, and between 2012 and 2020, he won a record nine Serie A titles in a row.
In addition, he participated in two UEFA Champions League finals—in 2015 and 2017—and won five Coppa Italia titles and five Supercoppa Italiana titles.
He had 117 caps when he retired from international football in 2022, making him Italy’s joint fifth-highest appearance record holder.
5. Joaquin ( 41 years old )
The captain of Real Betis, Joaquin, will turn 42 in 2023. He is currently one of the world’s oldest football players.
The Spanish winger was renowned for his speed, acceleration, excellent dribbling, and crossing skills in his prime.
He played for Betis and Valencia for most of his career, appearing in over 600 La Liga games over 19 seasons and winning the Copa del Rey twice with Betis.
In addition, he is trailed only by goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta (622) on the all-time list.
At 41 years and 56 days, Joaquin became the oldest player to score in the Europa League in September 2022.
He is unquestionably a footballer who will most likely retire in 2023.
6. David Silva (36 years old)
David Silva was one of the best midfielders of his generation and played for Manchester City for most of his career.
He won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and five League Cups while playing for the English club.
In 2020, he joined Real Sociedad, a club in Spain, and soon after, he helped them win the Copa del Rey.
This could be David Silva’s last football season.
7. Juan Mata (34 years old)
Juan Mata won the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and FA Cup at Chelsea, where he was at his peak.
Mata was sold to Manchester United for £37.1 million in January 2014 after losing favor at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho.
Over the course of his nine seasons at United, he made 285 appearances and won the Community Shield, League Cup, FA Cup, and Europa League.
He signed a one-year deal with Galatasaray in the summer of 2022 after his contract with United expired.
8. Dani Alves (39 years old)
Dani Alves is widely regarded as one of the greatest fullbacks of all time. He is also one of the football players with the most awards, with 47 official titles.
The majority of his career was spent with European giants: PSG, Sevilla, Barcelona, and Juventus
Alves signed a one-year contract with UNAM, a Mexican club, on July 23, 2022.
When the agreement comes to an end in 2023, he might walk away.
He was one of the oldest players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and played for the Brazilian national team at the World Cup in Qatar.
9. Willy Caballero (41 years old)
Willy Caballero, 41, spent the majority of his career playing for Elche and Málaga in Spain.
He joined Manchester City in 2014 and helped them win the League Cup in 2016.
The Argentine signed for Chelsea in 2017, where he played as a backup goalkeeper for four seasons and helped the club win the FA Cup, Champions League, and Europa League.
In 2018, Caballero made his Argentina senior debut.
He was a non-playing member of the team that won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and represented his country at the 2018 World Cup.
10. Ashley Young (37 years old)
Ashley Young returned to Aston Villa in 2021 after playing for Watford, Manchester United, and Inter Milan.
Re-signed for a second season until 2023 after his contract expired in June 2022.
Although Ashley is one of the Premier League’s oldest players and is still very active, he may retire in 2023.