Five former Premier League footballers we bet you had no idea are still playing

David Banks
Authored by David Banks
Posted: Thursday, November 26, 2020 - 15:42

Nowadays, with the money involved in the modern game, footballers can be lured to all four corners of the earth. Every now and again, you’ll be scrolling through social media and you’ll come across a story (or a clip) about a footballer, who you’d completely forgotten even existed, playing in the most obscure league in the strangest of countries. There have been loads over the years, like England great Paul Gascoigne playing for Gansu Tianma in the lower leagues of China or when we found out more recently that Celtic legend Shunsuke Nakamura was still knocking about in Japan’s top-tier, the J1 League, plying his trade for Yokohama FC at the age of 42.

Well, since it’s now so common for a footballer to be at the top of his game one day, and suddenly disappear of the face of the earth the next, we have put together this list of players you probably had no idea are still playing!

Nigel de Jong – Al-Shahania

First up is former Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong. The hard-hitting Dutchman, who infamously avoided a red card after fly-kicking Xabi Alonso in the 2010 World Cup final, started his career with Ajax, before a spell at Hamburg earned him an £18m move to Man City, who are being heavily favoured to win this year’s Premier League title in the bet exchange – despite a lacklustre start to the season. De Jong departed the Etihad for AC Milan with a Premier League and FA Cup winners’ medals. However, after four years at the San Siro, his career went down a very strange path, with stints at LA Galaxy, Galatasaray, Mainz 05 and Qatari sides Al Ahli, and Al-Shahania, were he currently plays.

Thomas Vermaelen – Vissel Kobe

Former Arsenal captain and club legend Thomas Vermaelen seemed to just disappear when he got a shock move from the Emirates to Barcelona in 2014, but it turns out he’s playing for J1 side Vissel Kobe, who are actually captained by his former Barça teammate Andrés Iniesta. The Belgian centre back spent five years in North London, winning the FA Cup, before moving to the Catalan club, were he made just 34 appearances in four seasons, whilst he also spent a year on loan at AS Roma.

Salomon Kalou – Botafoga

Salomon Kalou became somewhat of a cult hero during his six years at Stamford Bridge. The Ivory Coast winger won the Premier League, four FA Cups, the League Cup and even the Champions League, before being released by Chelsea in 2012. Kalou signed for Ligue 1 side Lille, were he spent three seasons, before spending the last six years at Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin. However, after breaking coronavirus guidelines, the Ivorian was released by the German club, and he now plays for Botafoga in Brazil’s Série A.

Alex Song – Arta/Solar7

Alex Song is another former Gunners star whose career spiralled out of control when he left the Emirates for the Camp Nou. The Cameroon international made just 40 La Liga appearances across the course of two seasons, before spending the next couple of years on-loan at West Ham. After unsuccessful spells with Barça and the Hammers, Song moved to Russian side Ruben Kazan, were he spent two years, before moving to Swiss side FC Sion. However, after two years in Switzerland, Song was sacked for refusing a coronavirus-enforced wage cut, and he now plays for Arta/Solar7 in the Republic of Djibouti. We think it’s fair to say that is one of the strangest career paths ever!

Maxi Rodríguez – Newell’s Old Boys

Last, but not least, is former Liverpool attacker Maxi Rodríguez. And, we know what you’re thinking; ‘how on earth is he still playing?’ Well, it’s understandable, as he wasn’t exactly a spring chicken when he arrived at Anfield from Atlético Madrid in 2010. In fact, he was 29 years old. The Argentine, who is now 39, lasted just two years on Merseyside before returning to his childhood club Newell’s Old Boys, and aside from a single season (2017-18), when he played for Peñarol in Uruguay, he has plied his trade there.

Other honourable mentions include former Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones, who now plays for Al-Nassr, ex-Newcastle skipper Steven Taylor, who is now at Indian side Odisha and Manchester United flop Eric Djemba-Djemba, who now plays for Swiss fifth-tier side Vallorbe-Ballaigues.