Brazil will mark the final time several household
names appear in the competition and we've
documented the biggest of those waving
goodbye to the tournament once and for all
Time catches up with everyone in the end and for a number of
the World Cup's biggest names their advancing years mean
they have graced the competition for the last time.
Most players don't get the opportunity to bow out at the top, but
Miroslav Klose has waved goodbye to football's grandest
stage in style.
His goal in Germany's 7-1 semi-final thrashing of Brazil saw him
become the World Cup's record goalscorer with 16 strikes, in a
fitting end to what will be his last appearance in the
competition at the age of 36.
Italy's Andrea Pirlo continues to defy his years with his
brilliance, but given he will be 39 by the time Russia 2018
comes around, he is unlikely to weave his magic in the
tournament again.
Another midfield star bidding farewell to the World Cup is
Steven Gerrard. England were dumped out in the group
stages in Brazil, and the 34-year-old is highly unlikely to have
the opportunity to make amends in four years' time.
Spain endured a miserable campaign in Brazil, with their shock
exit from Group B set to prompt a changing of the guard, as the
veteran trio of Xabi Alonso, 32, Xavi, 34, and David Villa, 32
are replaced by a new breed in 2018.
With four World Cups under his belt, Cameroon captain
Samuel Eto'o has certainly had his fill of the game's greatest
competition, but the 33-year-old would need to display an
astonishing durability if he is to appear at a fifth tournament.
Fellow African icon Didier Drogba was used mainly as a
substitute in Brazil and the Cote d'Ivoire star will almost
certainly be retired in 2018, when he will be 40 years old.
That could also be the case for Diego Forlan who, at 35 and
now playing his football in Japan, did remarkably well to be
selected in Uruguay's World Cup squad this time around.
Mexico captain Rafael Marquez became the first player to
appear in five World Cups in Brazil, though the 35-year-old
almost certainly won't extend that record in Russia in four
years.
And having failed to reach the tournament at all, Sweden
talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic - who turns 33 in October - may
not get another opportunity to grace the competition.
And our so called Nigeria captain joseph Yobo, he end with an own goal in brazil(good for france)________by radiorebel