Who is the oldest football player in Champions League history? Ranking the top 5 most veteran stars

The Champions League has long been considered the world’s top continental club competition, bringing together the best players in football. Among them are several veterans who continued to compete at the highest level. In this article, nowgoalpro.net highlights the oldest football players in Champions League history.

Top 5 oldest football players in Champions League history

This list is updated as of November 2025 and includes the oldest players to have appeared in the Champions League, ranked by age at the time of their most recent match.

5. Mark Schwarzer (41 years 206 days)

Fifth on the list is Mark Schwarzer, a Chelsea goalkeeper. He set this record in the match against Atletico Madrid on April 30, 2014. Schwarzer came on as a substitute for the injured Petr Čech in the first leg and then started in the second leg. Although Chelsea lost 1-3 on aggregate, he still holds the record as the oldest player to feature in the knockout stage of the Champions League.

During his career, Schwarzer spent more than 10 years at Middlesbrough, helping the club win the 2004 League Cup and reach the 2006 UEFA Cup final. He moved to Fulham, Chelsea, and Leicester City, mainly as a backup goalkeeper. He became the only player in Premier League history to be part of two consecutive title-winning teams with different clubs without receiving an official medal, due to limited appearances. Even so, he was widely respected as an important figure in the dressing room.

4. Olexandr Shovkovskiy (41 years 255 days)

Next is Olexandr Shovkovskiy, also a goalkeeper, who played for Dynamo Kyiv in the opening group stage match of the 2016/17 Champions League season against Napoli. Dynamo Kyiv took the lead through Denys Garmash, but two headed goals from Arkadiusz Milik helped Napoli secure a comeback win. Despite the loss, Shovkovskiy delivered a solid performance with several notable saves.

Shovkovskiy spent his entire professional career at Dynamo Kyiv, playing for the club from 1993 to 2016. He made over 600 appearances for the club and earned 92 caps for the Ukrainian national team. During his career, he won 14 domestic league titles and 10 national cups. Although he never won a major international trophy with Ukraine, he made history at the 2006 World Cup by becoming the first goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in a penalty shootout, against Switzerland in the round of 16.

3. Remko Pasveer (41 years 362 days)

The most recent player to join this list is Remko Pasveer, who appeared in the League Phase match of the 2025/26 Champions League between Ajax and Galatasaray. Despite this personal milestone, Ajax suffered a 0-3 home defeat at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

Pasveer began his career at FC Twente before moving through several Dutch clubs without gaining major recognition. His career changed in 2017 after joining Vitesse, where he became a top-level goalkeeper. In the 2019/20 season, he was named the club’s Player of the Year. He later joined Ajax in 2021 at the age of 38. Initially expected to be a backup, he quickly became an important player and left the club earlier this year after winning the Eredivisie title.

2. Gianluigi Buffon (42 years 315 days)

One of the greatest goalkeepers in football history, Gianluigi Buffon also ranks among the oldest players to feature in the Champions League. He achieved this milestone in the match between Barcelona and Juventus at Camp Nou. Facing a powerful Barcelona attack led by Lionel Messi, Buffon delivered an outstanding performance and kept a clean sheet in Juventus’ 3-0 victory. Messi alone took 11 shots, seven of them on target, all of which were saved.

With this appearance, Buffon became the first player to keep a clean sheet in the Champions League across four different decades. This match was widely seen as his farewell to the competition, as he later left Juventus to return to Parma. Over his long career, Buffon played more than 1,100 matches, won 10 Serie A titles, the 2006 World Cup, and six domestic cups. The Champions League remains the only major trophy missing from his collection, despite reaching the final three times.

1. Marco Ballotta (43 years 252 days)

At the top of the list is another Italian goalkeeper, Marco Ballotta. He set the record in the 2007 Champions League match between Lazio and Real Madrid. Lazio lost the match 1-3, but Ballotta still produced several impressive saves. This match marked Lazio’s elimination from the tournament and Ballotta’s final appearance in the Champions League.

Ballotta enjoyed a long career spanning 25 years, playing for many Italian clubs, including Parma, Inter, and Lazio. He was part of the Lazio team that won the Serie A title in 2000 and also won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup with Parma in 1993. After leaving top-level football at the age of 44, he continued playing at a semi-professional level, even switching to a forward role. His career remains a rare example of longevity and passion in modern football.

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