‘It’s not just Ronaldo’: Michail Antonio hails Liverpool’s James Milner ahead of exit

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Michail Antonio has hailed Liverpool midfielder James Milner and how he is still performing at the highest level of the game.

The West Ham United striker was talking about players getting over the age of 30 and then being moved on from their respective clubs. 

James Milner, at the age of 37, is set to leave Liverpool in the summer, but he’s not going to hang up his boots.

In years gone by, as soon as you hit your early 30s, then your boots are up, and you are out of the dressing room and planning a new career path of some sort. 

But, in the modern area, with players looking after themselves far better from a fitness perspective, technology and data allowing them to remain tip-top, it’s seeing players play for much longer. 

Footballing great Cristiano Ronaldo, at 38, is still going strong, but Antonio was sure to give Milner his flowers when talking about this subject, as he told The Footballer’s Football Show. 

“At the end of the day, football is a results game and age doesn’t give you results, the performance does,” said Antonio. 

“I understand once you get to 30, back in the day, you were old. A lot of the time, the players couldn’t really move and stuff like that. In this day and age, it’s different. Players are looking after their bodies. Players can play a lot longer. 

“Look at James Milner. He’s leaving Liverpool and he’s going to Brighton. They are another quality team in the Premier League. And he is 37. It’s not just Ronaldo who is doing it.

“James Milner, Adam Lallana. All these players still have quality. They are still doing it, even at their older ages. It’s not about age anymore, it’s about if you are doing it out on the pitch and that’s what I think people should be looking at.”

MILNER ONE OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE’S GREATS

When Milner does retire from the game, then the £60k-a-week Liverpool star (Spotrac) will go down as one of the greats of the English game.

From when he started his career at then-Champions League side Leeds United as a fresh-faced teenager to winning the title in Manchester City colours and the Champions League trophy at Anfield. 

It has been an amazing journey for the midfielder, who has won it all in club football, and his next journey will seemingly take him to thriving Brighton.