Juan Roman Riquelme, a legendary footballer from Argentina, demonstrated that his skills remain intact during a Villarreal Legends match, proving that his class is permanent.
Despite being 44 years old, he played alongside other former Villarreal stars such as Marcos Senna, Diego Forlan, and Robert Pires at Estadio de la Cerámica on Saturday.
The opposing team was comprised of Spain Legends, which included notable players such as Juanfran, Ivan Campo, and Fernando Morientes.
Despite Juan Roman Riquelme’s exceptional performance, it was the Spain Legends who emerged victorious, winning the match with a single goal scored by former Celta Vigo striker Catanha.
Riquelme, who wore his iconic number eight shirt, stole the spotlight with his effortless display of skill, including a stunning no-look pass that carved open the defense and left even the most experienced football experts in awe.
🇦🇷😮💨 Even at 43 years of age Riquelme still has it. Class is permanent! pic.twitter.com/zkfGl8EkXG
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) March 25, 2023
The crowd in the stadium were in awe of Riquelme’s skills and their roar intensified as he performed his magic on the field.
This was echoed by the viewers who watched the match online, as the clip of Riquelme’s performance quickly went viral. Many fans expressed their admiration for the footballer, who is arguably one of the most underrated players of the modern era, on social media platforms.
“They don’t make them like Juan anymore,” one Twitter user wrote.
Another added: “Loved to watch him play, he really was a top class player and baller.”
While a third posted: “Riquelme didn’t love football. Football loved Riquelme.”
The nonchalant playmaker even went close to bagging a goal himself – one that would have befitted his performance.
𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔, 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐀́𝐀́𝐀́𝐀́𝐀́𝐀́𝐍#CentenariGroguet pic.twitter.com/V9kMmgSEvp
— Villarreal CF (@VillarrealCF) March 25, 2023
Picking up the ball on the edge of the box, he bamboozled a defender with some dazzling footwork before firing a right-footed shot just wide of the post.
He retired from professional football in 2015 but, eight years later, Riquelme remains a case in point that, when you’re that good, you never quite lose it.