Villarreal captain Raul Albiol is ready to play beyond his 40th birthday.
The experienced defender signed another contract extension last summer, for another twelve months, as a Yellow Submarine icon.
Albiol are on course to break the 400-match milestone in La Liga in the second half of the 2024/25 season, with a 12-month extension still on the table.
Villarreal and Albiol are happy to keep his future on a rolling basis and he is confident of continuing to play after turning 40 in September.
Italian star Paolo Maldini played until he was 41 and Albiol has set a lofty target of reaching 45 if he stays fit.
“I want to play until I'm 45, but I don't know if that will work. I look at it year after year, I feel good, I am happy because I am healthy and injury-free,” said Marca.
“I will help as much as I can on and off the field, but I don't know what will happen. I want to enjoy every game because I know time passes and it's not forever.
“Maldini played until he was 41, I want to play until I was 45. In Italy it is different, many players live to be forty years old, like Totti and Maldini.”
Albiol is currently 11th on Villarreal's list of appearances in all competitions, with 201, and will need at least one more season to break into the top ten in 2025.
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