IN a world full of Lamine Yamals and Max Dowmans, it is the ‘old heads’ still making the headlines.
This has been showcased today in the South West, with Championship side Bristol City appointing 78-year-old veteran manager Roy Hodgson.
Hodgson returns to the club he previously managed in 1982, having since gone on to take charge of 22 clubs, including the England national team.
The former England manager is not the only figure in football labelled “old” to make headlines today.
With the average retirement age for footballers around 34, Edin Džeko defied expectations by equalising in the 86th minute against Wales last night, dealing a devastating blow to their World Cup hopes as Bosnia and Herzegovina went on to win on penalties and reach the final of the World Cup play-offs against Italy.
The 40-year-old striker, who has scored six goals in eight games for Schalke this season, could yet join an exclusive group of outfield players to feature at a World Cup at that age if Bosnia and Herzegovina overcome Italy. The only man to have done so remains Cameroon’s Roger Milla, who famously scored against Russia aged 42 at the 1994 World Cup.
Džeko may also be joined on the world stage by Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modrić, forming a remarkable trio still competing at the highest level as the 2026 World Cup approaches, well into their forties.
Footballers are not the only athletes still competing in their 40s, as Manny Pacquiao, aged 47, and Floyd “Money” Mayweather, aged 49, are set to rematch their 2015 bout.
Why would two retired boxers choose to put their bodies on the line again? The answer likely lies in Mayweather’s nickname, with the Netflix-backed fight expected to generate around £350 million.
The pair are not the only fighters returning to the ring this year, as Tyson Fury, 37, has announced he will face Arslanbek Makhmudov, 36.
The bout is expected to serve as a warm-up for a long-awaited heavyweight clash between Fury and Anthony Joshua, which has reportedly been agreed in principle, with Netflix expected to broadcast the event.
The fight is being targeted for late 2026 or early 2027, although details remain uncertain as Joshua continues his recovery and return to training.
Meanwhile, 41-year-old basketball legend LeBron James has gone a step further, sharing the court with his son in the NBA an extraordinary feat that underlines his longevity at the very top of sport.
James has been competing since 2003 and has made 15,902 regular-season field goals, winning four NBA championships along the way.
The Los Angeles Lakers star holds the record for the most career field goals made, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who recorded 15,837.
So in an era obsessed with youth, these moments serve as a reminder that experience, longevity and class still have a place at the very top of sport. The next generation may be arriving fast, but the ‘old heads’ are not stepping aside just yet.
