Going out at the top

[Cobs]

was asked this question at the weekend and didn't have an immediate answer but

which player(s) went out at the absolute top of their game?

 

I'm thinking - last action/last game picking up the League/CL/WC/Euros

 

had a few ideas in mind but looking at it today with google to check and it's not so obvious - lots of players who i thought knocked it on the head at the top actually played on in limited fashion/lesser leagues etc.

[Gerry]

Zidane. Certainly knocked it on the head anyway.

[Stevie H]

Didier Deschamps maybe? 

Paolo Maldini only ever played for one club of course. 

[stressederic]

Suppose you have to throw Cantona in here.

[Gerrardrules]

Marco van Basten

[stressederic]

Wasn't at the top of his game, but Kuyt's last game/season was pretty f***ing heroic.

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

39 minutes ago, Gerrardrules said:

Marco van Basten

Spent two years injured before he retired didn’t he?

[Hassony]

38 minutes ago, stressederic said:

Wasn't at the top of his game, but Kuyt's last game/season was pretty f***ing heroic.

Yep, Roy of the rovers stuff 

[Gunga Din]

Craig Johnston

[Cam]

Not at the top of his game, because there is a reason why he did it when he did (knew he was past it), but Gary Neville retiring mid-season was laudable. 99.9% of players would hang on until the end of the season.

[muleskinner]

I was convinced Dino Zoff packed up after winning the World Cup but he carried on. 

[Cobs]

1 minute ago, muleskinner said:

I was convinced Dino Zoff packed up after winning the World Cup but he carried on. 

was exactly my first go to name

then i thought Zidane - but getting sent off in  a WC final, missing hte pen shoot out with your team losing probably isn't going out at the top

then i though a bunch of the Barca players - Puyol/Xavi/Iniesta might have gone with a WC/CL final but no, all played on beyond.

 

Cantona may be a shout - Scholes likewise, i think went out as a League champion though he wasn't the same player as when he was alongside Keane

[Stevie H]

3 hours ago, Gerrardrules said:

Marco van Basten

Not sure you can count guys whose careers were cut short by injury. Would be by choice, surely? 

3 hours ago, stressederic said:

Wasn't at the top of his game, but Kuyt's last game/season was pretty f***ing heroic.

According to a Dutch mate Dirk is now disappointingly right wing politically. Thought he was a sound bloke but he seems to have gone wrong ways. 

[stressederic]

4 minutes ago, Stevie H said:

According to a Dutch mate Dirk is now disappointingly right wing politically. Thought he was a sound bloke but he seems to have gone wrong ways. 

Oh god, really? Ugh. That's annoying.

[Cobs]

Alan Hansen's last game for us was v QPR when we won our 18th League title, though he was a 1st team player the folllwing season but didn't play due to injury before retiring

[Stevie H]

12 minutes ago, stressederic said:

Oh god, really? Ugh. That's annoying.

Yeah bit of a Pim Fortuyn nationalist apparently. I can't find anything online about it so take my mate's word for it. Really disappointing. 

[Tosh]

Pirlo must've come dmn close...

[Hassony]

2 minutes ago, Tosh said:

Pirlo must've come dmn close...

Played in the MLS didn't he for a while? 

[dorgie]

Kenny

[Cobs]

28 minutes ago, dorgie said:

Kenny

Nah - petered out.

he should have knocked it on the head as a player by winning the double as player/manager in 86.

[Benzo-13]

4 hours ago, Stevie H said:

Yeah bit of a Pim Fortuyn nationalist apparently. I can't find anything online about it so take my mate's word for it. Really disappointing. 

Ah balls. Very disappointing.

[Tosh]

12 hours ago, Hassony said:

Played in the MLS didn't he for a while? 

Retirement, MLS. Same thing

(didn’t know he’d gone to the US.)

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

When we do the quadruple, our whole squad should retire. Even Harvey E.

[Hassony]

13 minutes ago, Kvarme Ate My Food said:

When we do the quadruple, our whole squad should retire. Even Harvey E.

Probably right, but I'd like to see Harvey E and Curtis J lead the new recruits to the sextuplet next season

[Earl Hafler]

Socrates last game was for Garforth Town 

Winner