Santa Cruz, Pizarro, Mascherano & Co. who you don't know are still playing

FIT as a fiddle and still able to pull on a shirt for a pro club, these lads refuse to call it a day and hang up their boots.

Playing in countries like Paraguay, Japan, Dubai, and Argentina, this lot used to play for the world's biggest teams.

And aged between 34-41, they've still clearly got plenty to offer still.

Let SunSport shock you with footballers you didn't know were still playing. Starting with...

From 1999-2007 the Paraguayan centre forward lead the line for Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

A spell in England with both Manchester City and Blackburn made him a crowd favourite on our shores.

Now Santa Cruz, 38, plays for Paraguayan side Olimpia (where he started his career) and is a hero.

In his second spell, he's still banging the goals in - 45 in 109 games. Baller.

Regarded as one of the best strikers of the modern game, Peruvian Pizarro is 41.

But that doesn't stop him from lacing up his boots for Werder Bremen, where he has two goals in all competitions this season.

And it's the third time Pizarro has played at Bremen, in between spells at Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

With 316 career goals in total, no one can doubt his credentials as a master poacher.

The Argentinian midfielder was a legend at Barcelona and for his country, who he played in a World Cup final for in 2014.

And at 35, the former Liverpool star still has plenty of miles left in the tank.

Which is why Estudiantes have just signed him from Chinese Super League team Hebei China Fortune F.C.

Mind you, he's now moved to centre half because of his lack of pace.

The vision, the touch and the deal-ball specialist qualities are still there for this mercurial Japanese talent, even at 41.

Nakamura is back in Japan turning out for Yokohama FC in the Japanese Second Division.

However, the former Celtic favourite only managed six games in 2019, so his powers aren't what they were.

Still a legend, mind.

Manchester City and Middlesbrough will remember journeyman Negredo, only 34, after spells with them.

The Spanish striker is best remembered for his time at Sevilla where he hit 70 goals in 139 games.

And with 10 international goals in 21 games, he showed his pedigree at international level too.

Why is why Emirati club Al-Nasr Dubai SC signed him up as a striker in 2018. He has 22 goals in 29 games.

The former Blackburn winger, renowned for his crossing for the former Premier League club, played 349 times for the Rovers and was a crowd favourite.

Pedersen also earned 83 international caps for Norway in what was a brilliant career.

Since 2016, and at the age of 38, he has put on the shirt of Tromso, who he wears his famed No7.

Despite his twilight period being blighted by injury, he has still played 88 times in four years.

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