Premier League cult hero looks unrecognisable as he continues scoring exploits aged 44

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Former Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz is astonishingly still playing football at the age of 44 for Paraguayan outfit Libertad. The ex- Champions League winner also looks dramatically different from the youthful appearance he sported during his stint in the Premier League .

Previously fresh-faced with jet black locks of thick hair, Santa Cruz, whilst still distinguished in his later years, now appears lean, bearded and with cropped hair. It's probable he would be unidentifiable to most football supporters nowadays.

Santa Cruz initially burst onto the scene as a promising talent for Club Olimpia in his homeland. He departed for Bayern Munich at merely 17 years of age, subsequently claiming five Bundesliga titles and the European Cup during his spell in Germany.

A transfer to Ewood Park was finalised in 2007 for more than £3m and he proceeded to find the net 23 times in 57 league appearances for Blackburn. Santa Cruz then signed for City in the summer of 2009 for just over £17million, reports the Manchester Evening News .

Nevertheless, he struggled during a difficult period under Roberto Mancini, featuring merely 24 times and netting four goals before returning to Rovers on loan.

While Santa Cruz was a versatile striker, adept at holding up play and converting all manner of chances, he struggled to establish himself in City's starting XI.

Speaking in November 2010, Santa Cruz conceded that his future at City appeared bleak. "I can't see myself playing in the team and that's frustrating," Santa Cruz told BBC Radio 5 live.

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"When the boss does not believe in you then you can't push him to do so. It's frustrating for me because I'm healthy and I'll keep working hard on my fitness. But once the time comes I'll have to look at my options of playing somewhere else. There is no alternative."

While clearly fond of Santa Cruz, Mancini acknowledged he couldn't promise him regular playing time. "Roque is a fantastic man and a good player, but he knows the situation here," the City boss said.

"I am very sorry for him because Roque deserves to play every game, because he works very well. But it is difficult at the moment. I hope for him that he can go to play for another team, because he deserves this."

A mere 18 months after departing Rovers for the Etihad, Santa Cruz made his way back to Ewood Park on loan for the rest of the campaign. Following his return, he expressed his desire to never return to City.

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"To be fair, I wouldn't like to go back. I never got a proper chance to play – three minutes here, five minute there once in a while," Santa Cruz said.

"In that sense I have been ignored. Of course,[Mancini] needs to bring the players he brought in, but there were chances where I could have played but he chose not to play me."

Speaking about Blackburn, he added: "Blackburn came in at the right time for my football and to come back and just keep playing again. That is why I appreciate so much what Blackburn have given me and I can't wait to start scoring."

Santa Cruz, however, struggled to regain his Blackburn form in his subsequent spell. He later had stints with Real Betis and Malaga, as well as in Mexico with Cruz Azul, before making a return to Paraguay in 2016 with Olimpia.

In 2022, Santa Cruz signed for Libertad and has since netted 18 goals for the Asuncion-based team. With three titles under his belt at Libertad, and the distinction of being the oldest player ever to score in the Copa Libertadores knock-out stage, it seems Santa Cruz has found his rhythm again in his twilight years.

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