Veteran goalkeeper Jens Lehmann turned 40 in November 2009, but he is still operating at the highest level for VfB Stuttgart, the club he joined from Arsenal FC in 2008. After spending many years as the deputy to Oliver Kahn for the German national team, he was chosen ahead of him for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

• Spent first ten years of his career with FC Schalke 04; won UEFA Cup in his first season of European club competition, 1996/97, proving penalty shoot-out hero in final against FC Internazonale Milano.

• Joined rivals BV Borussia Dortmund − after brief, unsuccessful stop at AC Milan − in 1999 and never missed a European match for the club (41 in total), reaching a second UEFA Cup final in 2002.

• Enjoyed remarkable debut campaign at Arsenal (2003/04), in which he started all 38 matches as Gunners won the Premier League unbeaten; added FA Cup win the following season and conceded no goals in eight matches as Arsenal reached 2006 UEFA Champions League final, but was sent off early in Paris decider against FC Barcelona.

• Made Germany debut in February 1998 but regular understudy to Oliver Kahn until promoted to first choice by coach Jürgen Klinsmann at the 2006 World Cup, where he was the quarter-final penalty shoot-out hero against Argentina; ever-present at UEFA EURO 2008 with six appearances but retired from international football in August that year with 61 caps.

• Started all 34 Bundesliga games in debut season for Stuttgart and all six group games in 2009/10 UEFA Champions League; set to retire in June 2010.

Did you know?
Lehmann had never played in a World Cup match prior to the 2006 tournament, qualifying matches included, although he was a final tournament squad member in both 1998 and 2002.