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Football: 5 legends who retired, came back and showed they still had what it takes

As Edwin van der Sar makes a comeback at the age of 45, Yahoo Sport's Aanu Adeoye remembers five other legends who came back after hanging up their boots to make a huge impact

Football: 5 legends who retired, came back and showed they still had what it takes

Last week Manchester United and Ajax legend Edwin van der Sar announced he was coming out of retirement to make a one-game comeback for VV Noordwijk after the Dutch fourth division side were left without a goalkeeper after losing first choice Mustafa Amezrine to a knee injury during a home game against Quick Boys

Van der Sar started his career at Noordwijk, spending five years at the amateur club before he was signed by Ajax aged 20 after being brought to the attention of the then manager, Louis van Gaal. Van der Sar has not played professionally since retiring in 2011, making his decision to play again, at the age of 45, slightly surprising and mildly amusing.

Noordwijk technical director Peter Vink explained the decision to Voetbal in de Bollenstreek.

“He still thinks warmly of the club and is here regularly,” Vink said. “After some deliberation, he agreed to keep goal next Saturday against Jodan Boys. We assume that it is basically only for one game. We are thrilled that Edwin wants to help us in this way.”

On Saturday, van der Sar was in goal for Noordwijk, saving a penalty as his side secured a crucial point in a 1-1 draw against Jodan Boys.

Van der Sar’s decision to help the club where he got his big break may have come as a surprise, however, he is far from being the first retiree to dust off his boots and gloves for one more game, or in Johan Cruyff’s case, five more years of top flight football.

Johan Cruyff

In 1978 Cruyff was 31, and winding up his career at the top level. The Dutchman had just led Barcelona to a Copa del Rey triumph, and having being a crucial fixture in the squad that secured the Catalan club’s first La Liga title in 14 years five years earlier, Cruyff decided it was time to call it a day. But his retirement was rather short-lived. Just a year later, Cruyff discovered he had lost all his money – about $2.4m – to a ruinous pig-breeding venture in Spain.

The doomed investment came through a shady business partner who had convinced Cruyff of the potential returns associated with the venture. Broke and ageing, Cruyff crossed the Atlantic to sign a lucrative deal with the Los Angeles Aztecs, where he played for one season and won the North American Soccer League Player of the Year.

Johan Cruyff returned to Ajex then had another great season with Feyenoord - and he even managed to outshine the likes of Ruud Gullit (right)
Johan Cruyff returned to Ajex then had another great season with Feyenoord - and he even managed to outshine the likes of Ruud Gullit (right)

A move to the Washington Diplomats followed: Cruyff spent a year in the capital but his distaste for the Astroturf pitches commonly widespread in the US coupled with the club’s financial instability saw him leave.

In January 1981, Leicester City manager Jock Wallace made an attempt to bring Cruyff to England, but despite the Dutchman expressing interest in the move, a deal could not be reached and he signed for Levante instead. Injuries blighted his time with the second division side as he played only ten games, scoring twice.

Aged 34 and still in need of money, he returned to Ajax in the summer of 1981. Cruyff led Ajax to the title, before helping them to a league and cup double the following season. But the Ajax hierarchy were unconvinced of Cruyff’s ability to pull the crowds, they were unhappy with his cut of the gate receipts and believing the magic was gone, they let him leave.

Cruyff felt betrayed, and to show his dissatisfaction he joined Ajax’s archrivals Feyenoord. Cruyff led Feyenoord to the Eredivisie in 1983/84, playing in all but one of 34 league games. He won the Dutch Player of the Year award for the fifth time, and in May 1984, the legend hung up his boots finally.

Roger Milla

At the best of times sports and politics are unwitting companions; the policies implemented by politicians have been known to have long lasting effects on how sports is governed, and this is especially true in Africa where government interference in sports is rife.

Roger Milla’s moment of glory was undoubtedly the World Cup in Italy, when the world came to recognize the talent of a 38-year old veteran that was hitherto unknown. Little known is the fact, however, that Milla wasn’t even supposed to be that World Cup.

Milla had retired from international football three years earlier, and a year before the World Cup he was winding down his career at semi-professional side Saint-Pierroise on the African island of La Réunion, combining that with his work as a radio pundit. Scoring 4 goals at the World Cup or leading the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to become the first African side to reach the quarter-finals was the last thing on the mind of a retired Milla.

Roger Milla just carried on paying even though his declared age seemed to get smaller!
Roger Milla just carried on paying even though his declared age seemed to get smaller!

"I went there for a bit of a rest," Milla would later tell the BBC in 2014. "Then I started playing for a little club run by my friend just for a bit of fun and that is what led to me coming back for the World Cup."

With the 1990 World Cup approaching, a call from Cameroon president Paul Biya altered the course of Milla’s retirement plans. Milla was included in the squad at the request of the president despite the reservations held by some teammates and the team’s inexperienced manager, Russian Valeri Nepomniachi, who needed an interpreter to communicate with his players.

What followed next were goals against Romania and Colombia, each celebrated at the corner flag by a dance Milla described as “instinctive”. The Cameroonian repeated the trick four years later in the USA with a goal against Russia to become the oldest goalscorer at the World Cup aged 42.

After Italia ’90 Milla returned to Cameroon to play for Tonnerre Yaoundé for four seasons before finally calling time on his career in 1996 following one-year spells with Indonesian sides Pelita Jaya and Putra Samarinda.

Paul Scholes

Manchester United managers from Sir Alex Ferguson to Louis van Gaal have always had headaches organising their midfield, and in early January 2012 United had a midfield crisis on their hands. Darren Fletcher was beset by serious ulcerative colitis which required surgery, Tom Cleverley was struggling with an ankle injury and Ferguson deemed the talented but callow Paul Pogba not yet ready for the pressure of elite level football.

Instead of dipping into the transfer window for what could prove to be an expensive short-term solution, Ferguson turned to a familiar and cost effective short-term solution, Paul Scholes.

Scholes had hung up his boots seven months previously following United’s loss to Barcelona in the 2011 Champions League final, played a testimonial against the New York Cosmos and joined the coaching staff at the club.

But Ferguson, initially reluctant to accept Scholes’ decision to retire, had no doubts recalling the man who made 676 appearances for United, winning 10 league titles and 2 Champions League trophies. Scholes’ second debut came in the final 31 minutes of a 3-2 FA Cup success over city rivals Manchester City, with the then 37-year old going on to make a further 20 appearances, scoring 4 goals.

Paul Scholes came back after retiring and although he helped Manchester United to more Premier League titles, he still could tackle...
Paul Scholes came back after retiring and although he helped Manchester United to more Premier League titles, he still could tackle...

The former England midfielder played a bit-part role in Ferguson’s final season in 2012/13 as a Robin van Persie-inspired Manchester United won the league at a canter to bring Scholes’ total tally to 11 league titles. This time Scholes retired for good to take up a career as a pundit.

Scholes’ second coming was successful, although it has been suggested in some quarters that it ultimately cost United the services of Pogba, who left for Juventus for regular playing time.

It is something Scholes himself agrees with, writing in his Independent column in 2015: “When I look back on my return from retirement for Manchester United in the spring of 2012 I sometimes wonder whether coming back into the team contributed to blocking the development of young players who were hoping to break through, and one in particular.

"Paul Pogba was a bright young lad who made his debut for United at the end of January that year in a game I played in against Stoke City.

"He is undoubtedly a very talented boy and there is no question that, given the choice, and on the right terms, United would rather have kept him than not.

"Would it have been any different if I had not come back for that last 18 months? I think my return to the team, and the game time Paul got, was a small part of it.”

Henrik Larsson

In July 2012 Henrik Larsson, three years after retiring, was enjoying life as manager of Swedish second division side Landskrona. Two months later the legendary Swede came out of retirement for a brief spell at Swedish fifth division Råå IF where he made one appearance, coming on as a substitute in a league match against Höganäs BK.

Henrik Larsson came back as a player - and even turned out alongside his son
Henrik Larsson came back as a player - and even turned out alongside his son

Larsson failed to achieve the stated objective of finishing in the top three with Landskrona, finishing sixth instead, and in November, he announced he was leaving his post as manager. To keep fit Larsson registered with fourth division side Högaborgs where he also worked as an assistant manager, and a year later in 2013, with the first team squad suffering an injury crisis, Larsson was drafted in for a game against Tenhults IF.

Högaborgs manager Kenneth Karlsson told the media that Larsson would start the game on the bench, and there was no guarantee he would get on the pitch, although it was a possibility.

Indeed Larsson began the game as a substitute, but in the 85th minute he came on and played alongside his 16-year old son Jordan. Speaking after the game, Larsson told Swedish paper Aftonbladet, “It was great fun to play. I can’t remember the last time I played for Högaborgs”, before quickly adding that further appearances were unlikely.

Karlsson, though, called on Larsson, aged 42, one last time when the veteran marksman completed the first 66 minutes in a 2-0 victory over IF Haga.

Jens Lehmann

An injury crisis is a familiar staple of Arsenal’s season annually, and unsurprisingly the 2010/11 was no exception. In March, Arsene Wenger had a goalkeeping crisis on his hands; Woljiech Szczesny, Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone were all ruled out with finger, shoulder and thigh injuries respectively. Manuel Almunia was the only fit senior goalkeeper available, prompting Wenger to call up an old favourite.

Jens Lehmann played 199 times for Arsenal between 2003 and 2008, and was an integral member of the Gunners’ unbeaten title-winning squad of 2004. After losing his place to Almunia in 2008, the German went back home to Stuttgart for two seasons before hanging up his gloves. Wenger, though, needed a back up for Almunia and the Gunners chief turned to Lehmann.

Jens Lehmann made his 200th and last appearance for Arsenal in 2008
Jens Lehmann made his 200th and last appearance for Arsenal in 2008

Arsenal have a goalkeeping crisis and I jumped at the chance to help them," Lehmann told German newspaper Bild. Upon his departure in 2008, Lehmann admitted to having a fractious relationship with Almunia but was content to be back up on his second coming. "This time I'm looking forward to being in a back-up role and will look to support Almunia," Lehmann said.

Lehmann joined Arsenal for the rest of the season on a rolling contract, taking the opportunity to also work on his coaching badges at the club. A knee injury sustained by Almunia in the warm-up before a game at Blackpool meant the 41-year old Lehmann played his first game in Arsenal colours since 2008.

The game marked Lehmann’s 200th appearance for the Gunners, making him the second oldest player to play for Arsenal, the oldest in the Premier League era. That turned out to be Lehmann’s only game in his second spell in north London, and he retired for good at the end of the season.