Football players are even fitter now than ever before, and it really shows from the values of some players over 30 years of age.

There was once a time when a player would be seen as past their best once they had passed this age, meaning no real money would be on offer for another club to snap them up.

At the present moment, however, some of the very best players are in their thirties, with many having slow starts to their careers before maturing later.

The people over TransferMarkt have even put together an XI of the most valuable players over the age of 30, consisting of six Premier League players.

Some Premier League clubs are known to charge a premium for their top players, and this may be an impacting factor on the valuations given.

There is even a name that will come as a big surprise to a lot of avid watchers of the league, as well as some more than predictable players.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both miss out

The two dominant forces in the world of football for the past two decades, Messi and Ronaldo, both miss out in this most valuable XI.

Messi is now 36 and has recently signed a lucrative deal with Inter Miami to put an end to his illustrious European career after an extremely successful time at Barcelona and a couple of years at PSG.

His main competitor throughout his career, Ronaldo, has also found himself left out of the most valuable team after his move to Saudi Arabia.

While both players have no doubt slowed down in recent years, there is absolutely no question about the quality they possess.

The Portuguese forward left Manchester United at the turn of the year in controversial fashion after falling out of favour with Erik ten Hag.

That these two generational stars can be left out of the team means there are some seriously impressive 30-plus-year-olds in their positions going around.

So, without further ado, take a look at the most valuable XI of players over the age of 30.

GK: Thibaut Courtois - €45 million

Competition for the goalkeeper position includes Alisson, David de Gea and Manuel Neuer, but it is the Belgian that comes out on top.

Real Madrid's number one has put in some sensational performances over the past few years, with the best coming in the highest-pressure situation.

The Champions League final in 2022 saw Courtois make a record of nine saves to keep Liverpool at bay and help the Spanish giants to a 1-0 win to lift the trophy.

Ever since that game, he has been seen by many as the best keeper in the world, never mind players older than 30.

RB: Giovanni Di Lorenzo - €25 million

Di Lorenzo has just captained Napoli to their first league title in 33 years in the 2022/23 season, so it is no real surprise to see his valuation remain high.

He even played 37 games in Serie A last season as he scored four goals and managed three assists, showing he in not only a solid defensive option.

At the time of writing, the Italian full-back only just became eligible for this team one day ago as he celebrated his 30th birthday.

CB: Virgil Van Dijk - €35 million

The Dutchman had a tough campaign last season, but will still find his way into the conversations around the best defenders in the world.

Liverpool's new captain is looking to make things right during the 2023/34 campaign with his added responsibility as one of the most senior members of the squad.

Van Dijk is a commanding presence in the back line for the Reds, having won the Premier League and Champions League during his time at the club.

CB: David Alaba - €40 million

Real Madrid are blessed with several strong options to fill their centre-back positions, including Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao and Nacho Fernandez.

Alaba managed to make 23 league appearances in his second season after playing 30 times in his debut campaign.

If the club were to part ways with the versatile Austrian, they would demand a high fee in order to make a significant profit on the player after signing him for free in 2021.

The former Bayern Munich man has played in the centre-back and left-back positions for Los Blancos in the two years he spent at the club.

LB: Ben Davies - €15 million

Even the biggest Tottenham and Wales fans would never have guessed that Davies would be the most valuable left-back in this team.

It could be classed as cheating-with the Welsh defender having spent the past few years playing as the left-sided defender in a back three for his club.

While he is a solid and committed player for a top Premier League side, it indicates a lack of truly class options to pick from for this side.

CM: Casemiro - €40 million

Disciplinary issues aside, the Brazilian midfielder has been a revelation for Manchester United following his move from Real Madrid for a fee of €70 million, significantly more than his current value.

With many Champions League successes in his trophy cabinet, he is still regarded as one of the top-holding midfielders in the world.

The nature of Casemiro's game suggests he still has plenty of years at the top as he is currently only 31 years old.

Taking United from the Europa League to the Champions League with a trophy in the cabinet, his impact on the team cannot be understated in the slightest.

CM: Marco Veratti - €40 million

Despite his valuation on TransfrMarkt, Veratti looks like he will be on the move for a lower fee this summer, with reports that he has agreed terms to move to Saudi Arabian side, Al Hilal.

The 30-year-old has spent more than a decade with the French club and looks set to move on to a new challenge in the emerging Pro League.

PSG look likely to more than double their initial investment in the Italy international after a long and successful relationship together, signalling that a move could be the right move for all parties involved.

RW: Mohamed Salah - €65 million

Salah recently turned 31 during the summer, but you would not be able to tell based on his physical condition and fitness.

The Egyptian winger managed 46 goal contributions in only 51 appearances despite Liverpool struggling to hit the usual heights expected under Jurgen Klopp.

Being the last remaining member of the famous Salah, Firmino and Mane trio, it appears the club have made the right choice with which of the three stars to back.

Salah keeps Messi out of the right-wing position in this side with his lofty €65 million valuation.

CAM: Kevin De Bruyne - €70 million

On the back of a historic treble, De Bruyne is the second most valuable player over the age of 30 in the world, and it is hard to argue considering his importance to Manchester City.

He played a huge part in a fourth Premier League title in the space of five years, averaging an assist every two games as well as seven goals from the middle of the park.

The Belgian was sold prematurely by Chelsea in 2014 before being given a real chance to prove himself, and that is a decision the Blues will have been regretting ever since, as he has become one of the best-ever Premier League midfielders.

LW: Neymar - €60 million

A €60 million valuation seems very low considering the fact that the Brazilian star moved to PSG for a world-record fee of €222 million from Barcelona back in 2017.

There have been spells in his career when Neymar has been classed as the third-best player on the planet, behind Messi and Ronaldo.

With age on his side, however, Brazil's main man is now more valuable than the aforementioned generational talents at the age of 31.

82 goals from 112 matches is an impressive haul for a man who has been deployed predominantly from the left wing, with sparing stints behind the striker.

ST: Harry Kane - €90 million

The most expensive player over the age of 30 is the Spurs talisman, who could be on the verge of a move to Bayern Munich for a similar fee to his €90 million valuation.

Alan Shearer's record as the all-time top goalscorer in the Premier League is under threat if Kane chooses to remain in England instead of jumping ship to the Bundesliga.

He is another player to have only just made the cut in terms of age after his birthday in July, and he has already bagged 213 goals for Spurs.

As he makes his way into the team ahead of Ronaldo, it will be intriguing to see how many goals he has reached when he gets to the same age as the Portugal international.

There is an eight-year age difference, meaning it is unsurprising to see that his valuation is higher while he is at the peak of his powers.