Cristiano Ronaldo, Gianluigi Buffon and others who could retire at the end of the season

The 2019-20 season will end around May 2020. Just like any other year, several top stars will hang up their boots at the end of their campaign. It's January 2020 and with half the season over, it might just be the right time to talk about some of the top stars who will (or might) retire at the end of the season. So, here's our list of top five players who are (or might be) playing their last season in professional football.

5. Claudio Pizarro (41, Werder Bremen)

We start with one of Bundesliga's greats - Claudio Pizarro. The Peruvian is currently playing his 20th season in the Bundesliga and has already confirmed that it will be his last season in professional football. Having played for the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Werder Bremen, Pizarro has mustered over 750 career appearances. The 41-year-old has been a mainstay in football for more than two decades and has scored over 300 career goals. He will always be remembered as one of the best foreign players in Bundesliga.

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4. Pablo Zabaleta (34, West Ham United)

Sticking with South Americans, we have the Argentine Pablo Zabaleta. Currently playing with West Ham in the Premier League, the right-back is one of the pioneers in Manchester City's rise to dominance. The 34-year old was an important piece in City's quest for a first Premier League title in 2012 before helping them win it again in 2014. At 34, you would assume, Zabaleta has a couple of years left in him. However, the Argentine has himself admitted that he might consider retirement at the end of the campaign.

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3. Aritz Aduriz (38, Athletic Bilbao)

The Spanish striker is 38-years-old and will be playing his last season in professional football. Having spent his entire career in Spain, he is a prime example of a late-bloomer. His top-flight career took off when he joined Atletico Bilbao in 2012 at the age of 31. With 172 goals in 400 appearances, the striker is now one of the best goalscorers in LaLiga history.

2. Gianluigi Buffon (41, Juventus)

On January 28, Buffon will turn 42 but he has shown no signs of stopping. The Italian has aged like fine wine and has been instrumental in Juventus' rise to dominance this decade. Gianluigi Buffon is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He will surely go down in history as a Juventus legend. Last season, he was at Paris Saint Germain but is now back in Turin to play back-up to first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny. If Juventus win the Champions League this season, it might just be the perfect way to say goodbye to his beloved sport.

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1. Cristiano Ronaldo (34, Juventus)

Alright, it's highly likely that we might go wrong with this prediction. Cristiano Ronaldo is a 34-year-old and he is still performing like a tank. He has already scored 12 times in 21 games this season and it doesn't look like he is stopping anytime soon. But considering his own words, he might just surprise us all by announcing his retirement. Back in August 2019, Ronaldo admitted that he might play till he is 40 but he could also choose to retire at the end of the season. Ronaldo joined Juventus from Real Madrid to end the Old Lady's hunt for a Champions League title. If he fails to deliver the trophy for the second season in a row, anything could happen. Add to this fact, Ronaldo has been repeatedly talking retirement, taking up coaching and even wanting to act in movies. Is the Portuguese superstar hinting about a major swerve?

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