There is often plenty of intrigue and fanfare surrounding a top performing young player in Europe’s top five leagues, but those the wrong side of 30 can often be neglected. Barcelona star Lionel Messi and Juventus ace Cristiano Ronaldo will see their careers wind down sooner rather than later, but their performances, along with the form of their peers around the same age, deserves adulation. 

Back over ten years and Cristiano Ronaldo’s reputation was rocketing as fast as his shots. The Portugal star, particularly at Manchester United, was renowned for scoring some truly astonishing strikes from outside the box.