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Hestad: Molde's captain, 40, still going strong

At 40, midfielder Daniel Hestad is the oldest registered player in this season's group stage; UEFA.com celebrates Molde's "greatest player of all time".

Against Ajax, Daniel Hestad can make his 40th UEFA Cup/Europa League appearance
Against Ajax, Daniel Hestad can make his 40th UEFA Cup/Europa League appearance ©Getty Images

In a section containing two former European champions and Fenerbahçe, Molde were reckoned to be up against it before a ball was kicked in UEFA Europa League Group A.

However, led by their 40-year-old captain Daniel Hestad – the oldest player in the 2015/16 group stage – the Norwegian champions are aiming to turn more heads by making it six points out of six against Ajax on Thursday.

Integral to Molde's eye-catching 3-1 victory in Istanbul a fortnight ago, Hestad is revered in his home town, where he has spent all but two of his 24 seasons as a professional, save for two years with Ajax's Eredvisie rivals Heerenveen from 2003 to 2005.

The midfielder has won three league championships, four Norwegian Cups and holds the record for Eliteserien outings – 467 to be exact, having surpassed Roar Strand's tally of 439 in summer 2014.

Daniel Hestad, pictured in 2012, is a Molde stalwart
Daniel Hestad, pictured in 2012, is a Molde stalwart©Getty Images

This season, which has another two and a half months to run and will feature back-to-back fixtures against Celtic after the visit of Ajax, will be his last. "I've had a long and successful career, but I feel the time is right to call it a day," said Hestad, who made his Molde debut as a 17-year-old in May 1993. "I hope to continue to work with Molde in a coaching capacity."

For the time being at least, MFK have at their disposal a player singled out by coach Erling Moe for his calming, controlled performance in the notoriously hostile surroundings of the Şükrü Saracoğlu stadium. "He is a smart guy who can take care of the team and makes smart choices with the ball," said Moe after the Fenerbahçe match. "He is a guy who inspires confidence here and in a place like this, you need confidence."

Praise, though, does not come much higher that given by Trond Hustad from Molde-based newspaper Romsdals Budstikke. "Daniel is Molde's greatest player of all time: there is no discussion," he said. "The club has had some fine players like Åge Hareide, Ulrich Møller and Ole Gunnar Solskjær, but Daniel is the best. He is a living legend with an aura around him that the younger players especially can profit from."

Hestad is carrying on a family tradition by turning out for Molde – he broke his father Stein Olav Hestad's club appearance record while three of his uncles and his brother have played for the club at various times.

The former Norwegian international thought his days in blue were numbered, however, when Solskjær took charge before the 2011 season. "I was not seen as essential to Ole Gunnar's plans," he explained.

"He brought in several midfielders, but injuries and a lack of form among some of the other players gave me a new chance and my experience was still important to the side." Matchday one in Turkey proved that still to be the case.