While many footballers start their football careers at a young age, some players embrace the sport later and reached the highest level possible in the world of football. These players serve as a reminder that the path to success in football is not limited by age, but rather driven by the perseverance to brave all struggles. From Miroslav Klose to Didier Drogba, discover football icons who started playing football late.

The German football legend Miroslav Klose holds the record for the most goals scored in the FIFA World Cup. Miroslav Klose had worked as a builder and a bricklayer for many years before he became a successful footballer and was awarded the German Footballer of the Year in 2006.

The Italian former professional footballer, Luca Toni is one of the prolific goalscorers who scored over 300 goals throughout his career. Luca Toni started his football career as a goalkeeper, but his career peaked when he signed for Palermo at the age of 28.

The former English striker collected several personal awards throughout his career, including two league Golden Boots. At 27, Rickie Lambert joined Southampton for over £1 million deal.

Ian Wright holds the record for Arsenal's second-highest scorer of all time and Crystal Palace's third highest, although he started playing late. The former English forward gained full international honours when he played for Crystal Palace at 26.

Another example of a footballer who started late is the former French professional footballer Laurent Koscielny. Regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, Laurent Koscielny began to receive multiple accolades for his performances when he was 24.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy is regarded as one of the best strikers of all time. The former Dutch footballer signed a contract with PSV Eindhoven when he was 21, but he made his Premier League debut at 25.

Dado Pršo is an unforgettable name in football history as he played in the French third division for FC Rouen, Monaco, and Croatia. The former Croatian professional footballer played his first match for the Croatian national team when he was 29.

The former Italian professional footballer Fabio Grosso played for several smaller Italian clubs before he joined Serie A champions Inter Milan at 29. Fabio Grosso also earned a cap for the Italy national football team at UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

The English footballer star, Jamie Vardy, plays as a striker for club Leicester City. Though Vardy began his senior career at 20, his professional trajectory took a remarkable turn when he joined Leicester City at 25.

At 24, Brazilian forward Junior Messias started his senior career at non-professional Italian divisions. When he was 30, Junior Messias joined AC Milan on a one-year loan and scored his first goal for the club in his UEFA Champions League.

Emanuele Giaccherini is a former Italian player who earned over 20 caps for the Italy national football team throughout his career. When he was 26, his good performances took him to Juventus, where he signed a €3 million deal.

The Bosnian professional footballer Edin Džeko is best remembered for winning significant accolades throughout his career. At 26, the striker for Inter Milan and captain of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team became the Bosnian highest goalscorer of all time.

The former Mexican professional footballer started his football career at 21, but he progressed and signed a contract with Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven. At 32, the defensive midfielder won the 2012 Olympic gold medal.

When he was 22, the renowned Slovenian forward made his senior debut for the Slovenia national team. At 31, Josip Ilicic was awarded a spot in the 2018-19 Serie A Team of the Year when he played for Atalanta.

Even after a late start in his professional career, the former Spanish goalkeeper Javi Varas enjoyed a 12-year professional career with 151 La Liga matches over eight seasons.

The Brazilian football superstar Ramires made his debut in the 2010 FIFA World Cup when he was 24. Despite his late start, the best midfielder was not only capped 52 times for the Brazil national team, but he also secured deals with several successful clubs in the Premier League.

When discussing the greatest African footballers of all time, Didier Drogba is a prominent name who was acclaimed for his physical strength and ball retention. The former Ivorian striker is best known for his career at Chelsea when he was 26.

Antonio Di Natale, the former Italian striker played for a vast number of clubs, but the football star reached his peak performance in the later stages of his career. The current head coach of Serie C club Carrarese officially retired from football at 39 after he spent 12 years of his career with Udinese.

The former Norwegian forward began his football career with a 3rd division team in Norway. At the age of 23, Ole Gunnar Solskjær joined Manchester United, where he displayed his remarkable skills, scoring 91 goals in 235 games. Even at 34, his performance remained exceptional, ultimately leading to his appointment as the caretaker manager of Manchester United.