Africa’s Enduring Football Legends: Playing Beyond 40

Kei Kamara, born on September 1, 1984, continues to represent Sierra Leone, having played in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and recently turning 40. This month, Kamara became part of an exclusive group of African footballers who have participated in international matches past their 40th birthday. The forward, who ranks second among all-time goalscorers for both Sierra Leone and US Major League Soccer (MLS), briefly ended his retirement in an unsuccessful effort to help his country qualify for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco. Consequently, Kamara will not feature on African football’s premier stage as a 41-year-old veteran. However, other legendary figures from the continent have left a significant mark after reaching their fifth decade, including the individual who motivated Kamara’s return. BBC Sport Africa examines several prominent examples. Roger Milla, born on May 20, 1952, continues to hold the record as the oldest player to score in a World Cup, following his goal against Russia at USA ’94. Milla is widely regarded as the most famous of Africa’s veteran footballers, with his achievements at the Fifa World Cup capturing global attention, notably for his distinctive corner-flag wiggle celebrations. The striker was 38 years old when he emerged from retirement, at the specific request of Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, for the 1990 tournament in Italy. He scored two goals as a substitute against Romania, leading Cameroon to win their group, before adding another two goals in the second round against Colombia. This performance saw the Indomitable Lions become the first African team to reach a World Cup quarter-final, where they were defeated by England. The two-time Afcon champion then temporarily withdrew from international competition once more before making a similar return for the 1994 World Cup in the USA. After participating in three warm-up matches and coming off the bench against Brazil, he became the tournament’s oldest player and goalscorer by finding the net in the 6-1 loss to Russia at 42 years and 39 days old. Milla remains the oldest outfield player to appear in a World Cup, though a different African now holds the overall record. Essam El-Hadary, born on January 15, 1973, was recognized as the best goalkeeper at the 2010 Nations Cup, where he secured his fourth African title with Egypt. El-Hadary, considered the World Cup’s most senior player, was 45 years and 161 days old when he started for the Pharaohs at Russia 2018. His debut in the tournament occurred during the final group match against Saudi Arabia, where he became the first African goalkeeper to save a penalty at a World Cup, despite his team ultimately losing 2-1. Having made his first appearance as a 23-year-old in March 1996, El-Hadary played 159 matches for Egypt, earning 20 caps after his 40th birthday. Remarkably, this significant total places him only third on his nation’s all-time caps list. El-Hadary also represented the North Africans in seven Afcon tournaments, winning the trophy in 1998, 2006, 2008, and 2010. Kalusha Bwalya, born on August 16, 1963, held the presidency of the Football Association of Zambia when the team clinched the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. Some might contend that the 1988 African Footballer of the Year possessed an unfair advantage during his international return at the age of 40 in July 2004, given that he selected himself to play. After initially retiring in 2000, Bwalya assumed the role of coach in 2003, with aspirations of guiding the Copper Bullets to the 2006 World Cup. He re-entered competitive play in a Council of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) Cup quarter-final against Mauritius, coming on as a substitute to score in a 3-1 win. However, his most significant contribution came two months later in a World Cup qualifier against Liberia. With the score at 0-0, Bwalya, then 41, substituted himself into the match in the 68th minute and converted a characteristic free-kick in injury time, securing a 1-0 victory. Nevertheless, this proved to be the highlight of his comeback. Zambia not only failed to qualify for the World Cup, but Bwalya also marred his final international appearance by missing a decisive penalty, leading to their defeat against Angola in a Cosafa Cup final shootout. Bruce Grobbelaar, born on October 6, 1957, participated in a 1-0 win against Cameroon in Harare, a result that brought Zimbabwe to the verge of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup. However, the Warriors ultimately failed at the final stage in the return fixture. Similar to Bwalya, goalkeeper Grobbelaar experienced periods as both a player and coach throughout his intermittent international career with his country. Born in South Africa, his family relocated to what was then Rhodesia during his childhood. In 1975, he was conscripted into the army to combat a guerrilla insurgency in the country’s Bush War, earning