There have been a few big comebacks in the world of football this week. First, Lionel Messi singlehandedly rescued Argentina’s qualifying campaign with a splendid hat-trick against Ecuador after his side had fallen behind inside a minute. Then, from the sublime to the ridiculous, came the news that Paul Merson would be pulling on his boots again for Welsh fourth tier side Caerau.
While at the age of 49, Merson will likely do little more than make a few novelty appearances for his new club, Adriano has hinted at a more serious attempt at resurrecting his career, which came to a premature end last year. The former Brazil international called it a day following a brief and unhappy stay at Miami United.
He’d been drifting for a while but deserved a more fitting end, and has now claimed he will return to training in January. Once one of the most fearsome strikers on the planet, Adriano was almost unstoppable at his peak. If he needs any inspiration when it comes to rolling back the years, there are plenty of former stars to call on.
Paul Scholes – Manchester United
A midfielder who combined an eye for goal with an exceptional range of passing, Scholes made 676 appearances during his first spell at Old Trafford before retiring in May 2011. He took up a coaching post with Manchester United but was called upon to make his playing return just a few months later as the club suffered an injury crisis.
Scholes’ comeback came against Manchester City in the FA Cup, replacing Nani for the final half hour and immediately dictating play once more. It was like he’d never been away. There would be 21 appearances and four goals in the remainder of the season, followed by an 11th Premier League title the year after, when he stepped down for good with his legacy secured.
We'd love to see him try and pronounce it.
Rivaldo – Mogi Mirim
The nomadic final stages of a curious career saw Rivaldo play in Greece, Uzbekistan and Angola amongst other places. He returned to Brazil with Sao Caetano and then Mogi Mirim, one of his first clubs, in 2013. His retirement was confirmed a year later but the lure of one last stand proved too strong.
In July 2015 he played alongside his son, Rivaldinho, and both registered goals in a 3-1 win over Macae. It was a special moment for the two of them to share. Rivaldo then retired for a second time, at the age of 43, continuing as president of the club. Meanwhile, Rivaldinho moved on to Europe. He is now at Dinamo Bucharest and netted impressively against Athletic Bilbao back in July.
Jens Lehmann – Arsenal
Like Scholes, Lehmann was conveniently placed when injuries struck at his former club. The commanding and often maverick goalkeeper was scheduled to spend six weeks at Arsenal working on his coaching badges when Wojciech Szczesny, Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone were forced out of action. Lehmann answered Arsene Wenger’s emergency call and served as backup to Manuel Almunia.
There were even appeals for him to replace the out of form Spaniard in the first team. Almunia eventually picked up an injury whilst warming up away to Blackpool and Lehmann was belatedly drafted in. At the age of 41, he became the oldest player to represent Arsenal in the Premier League era, making his 200th appearance for the club and helping them to a valuable 3-1 win.
Stephen Carr – Birmingham City
The right back’s time at Newcastle United was blighted by injury and, after being released in the summer of 2008, he struggled to find the right opportunity to return to football. Carr’s retirement was announced in December, but three months later he began training with Birmingham City, who were looking to return to the Premier League under Alex McLeish.
He signed a one-month contract after a successful trial, which was extended until the end of the season. Promotion was secured on the final day and Carr went on to captain Blues in the top flight and lift the League Cup after a spirited performance in a 2-1 win over Arsenal at Wembley. He played over 100 times for the club in total, becoming an iconic figure at St Andrew’s.
