Age athletes are not such a rarity in the modern world.

Excitement, the desire to achieve the highest results and just a sincere love for their work often keep athletes in shape for many years.

However, there are times when a career is delayed for more than half a century.

Ezzeldin Bahader became the oldest professional footballer in the world after playing 90 minutes against El Ayat.

The annoyance from the missed penalty and the defeat with a score of 2: 3 was brightened by the presence of representatives of the Guinness Book of Records and the official recognition of the record.

The name Bahader sounded all over the world back in January this year, when the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) registered him as the oldest player.

However, in order to obtain international status, he needed to hold two full meetings at a professional level.

Already in March, the player came one step closer to his dream when he made his debut on the field.

Then he scored the ball from the penalty spot and, inspired by success, hoped to soon enter the history of sports.

However, the coronavirus pandemic intervened in his plans, and the record had to wait seven months.

The unique achievement was witnessed not only by the participants of the match, but also by the six grandchildren of Bahader, who actively supported him from the stands.

In November, the record holder will turn 75 years old.

Despite his venerable age, he does not intend to stop there, although for this he will have to conclude a new contract.

“I dream of breaking my record again, just to complicate the task for the rest a little,” Bahader quoted Reuters as saying.

The Egyptian's path in football is as unusual as his record.

Like many boys, he started playing on the streets of his native Cairo, but then chose a different path for himself, becoming an engineer.

However, for many decades his dream of becoming a football player never left him.

Then Bahader began to apply to professional clubs, until he was accepted into his ranks on "October 6".

To obtain an official license, he showed the video of his game to the representatives of the EFA, to prove that even that age is not an obstacle to active action on the field.

The newly minted athlete was well aware of the need to maintain physical shape and actively trained not only with the team, but also at home with a personal trainer.

“It will seem like there are 10 people in the team, but I don't want my teammates to feel that way.

Maybe I can also contribute, ”said Bahader.

It is worth noting that such outstanding records, although admirable, are not rare events in football.

For example, the previous similar achievement lasted only a year and a half.

In April 2019, the goalkeeper of the Israeli team "Ironi Yehuda" Isaac Hayik entered the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest football player in the world.

He entered the field in the country's fourth-strongest league match against Maccabi Ramat Gan at the age of 73.

At the same time, the age difference between Bahader, Hayik and previous record holders is striking.

Until recently, these laurels belonged to 53-year-old Robert Carmona.

In 2015, he played in the team of one of the regional leagues of Uruguay "Pan de Asucar", for which he made his debut back in 1975.

Next to them in the book of football records is the name of the striker Kazuyoshi Miura, also known as King Kazu.

In 2017, he officially became the oldest scorer in football history.

At the age of 50 years and 14 days, he scored the winning goal against the Zespakusatsu Gunma team.

Throughout his career, the forward was called up to the Japanese national team several times, and also won the 1992 Asian Cup.

And at the end of September this year, he received the status of the main long-liver of the country's top division.

Interestingly, a similar record was set at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Then the goalkeeper of the Egyptian national team Essam al-Hadari became the oldest footballer ever to enter the field in a tournament of this level.

At the time of his team's first match with the national team of Saudi Arabia, he turned 45 years and 161 days old.

Despite the venerable age for the athlete, the goalkeeper recorded one reflected penalty.

At the same world championship, the 38-year-old CSKA defender Sergei Ignashevich set his own record.

Entering the field in the first round meeting with the same Saudi Arabia, he secured the title of the oldest player, the national teams of the USSR and Russia, who played at the world championships.

As for the domestic championship, at present the most experienced player in the country is the defender of the Moscow SS-75 Valery Likhobabenko.

At the moment, the former player of Dynamo and Anji, in which he became the finalist of the Cup of the country, is 44 years old.