FORMER Premier League stars Morten Gamst Pedersen and Roque Santa Cruz, both 42, scored for their respective clubs this weekend.
The ex-Blackburn cult heroes have shown age is just a number when it comes to hitting the back of the net and fans think it’s “wonderful.”
Gamst Pedersen has carried on his football career far into his 40’s back in his home country Norway.
Since 2020 he has played for second and third-division Norwegian sides Alta and Asane – and now currently resides with Ranheim.
During the Norwegian second-tier clash against Jerv on Sunday afternoon the veteran midfielder gave his side the lead in the opening five minutes – after belting a goal from the edge of the penalty box.
Ranheim then went on to cement their superiority after the former Blackburn’s star sensational finish with a 4-2 victory.
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One fan was starstruck by Pedersen’s goal and said: “Seeing Morten Gamst Pedersen bang in goals like this at 42 years of age is wonderful.”
Meanwhile, former Blackburn Rovers team-mate and fellow 42-year-old Santa Cruz was also among the goals.
The Paraguayan striker left boyhood club Olimpia in 2021 after his second spell at the Primera Divison side and signed for rivals Libertad at the age of 40.
On Saturday Libertad thrashed Guairena 5-1 with a stand-out strike from veteran Santa Cruz.
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The striker performed an outstanding diving header to find the back of the net in the 70th minute adding to the Paraguayan giants’ lead.
Both Pedersen and Santa Cruz excelled back in the day at Blackburn – with the Norwegian making over 340 appearances and scoring 47 goals during his nine-year spell at the club from 2004-2013.
Prior to his move to the Premier League, he played for Norwegian giants Tromso who he returned to in 2016 for three seasons.
Santa Cruz enjoyed a short but sweet two terms at Ewood Park from 2007-2009 where he made 70 appearances and scored 29 goals after joining from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
The striker then moved to Premier League rivals Manchester City before returning to Blackburn for a season-long loan in the 2010-2011 campaign.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
