LeBron James, who turned 40 on Monday, will play for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Cleveland Cavaliers on New Year’s Day.
Decorative star LeBron James joined the ranks of successful athletes in their 40s.
AFP listed the superstars in sports history who still achieved success over 40 years of age.
Tom Bradyamerican football: When he retired at age 45 in 2023, the quarterback had the most Super Bowl wins. He won the first six with the New England Patriots. The most recent came with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021, making him the oldest player to win a Super Bowl. He was also named MVP of the game.
Zlatan Ibrahimovicsoccer: AC Milan brought back the league’s medal haul in 2019, when his career seemed to be on the wane at LA Galaxy. The striker paid back the expectations in the 2021–22 season. Despite injuries forcing him to retire after the following season, Zlatan scored eight goals in 23 league appearances as he won the last of his 12 league crowns at the age of 40.
Formiga: Miraildes Maciel Mota, known as Formiga (ant) due to his style of play, made his Brazil debut in 1995 and played 234 matches before “retiring” in 2021 at the age of 43. The midfielder appeared in seven Olympic football tournaments and seven World Cups – both records. He represented 15 clubs and won the French championship in his final season at PSG.
Merlene Otteyathletics: The Jamaican was 40 when he won 100m bronze and sprint relay silver in 2000 in Sydney for his 8th and 9th Olympic medals – 20 years after his 200m Olympic bronze in Moscow. At the age of 44, Ottey advanced to the 100 m semi-finals in Athens in 2004.
Diana Taurasi: The guard played just 56 minutes at the Paris Olympics and didn’t impress as the USA women defeated France in the final, but she still collected a record 6th straight basketball gold at the age of 42.
Mijain Lopez: The Cuban wrestler won the super heavyweight Greco-Roman wrestling in Paris in August, and at the age of 41, he became the first athlete to win five consecutive Olympic gold medals in the same individual sport.
George Foreman: “Big George” won the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship for the first time at the age of 24 in 1973 before losing it 20 months later To Muhammad Ali. He regained one of the significant titles at the age of 45 in 1994 when he became the oldest heavyweight champion of the world.