70-year-old goalkeeper set to play for Spanish club

A 70-year-old goalkeeper is set to feature for a Spanish club after Angel Mateos Gonzalez was named in the squad for CD Colunga ahead of their league fixture.

Mateos is expected to be included when Colunga face Praviano in a Tercera Federación Group Two match, a move the club described as a tribute to the veteran.

The former miner, who retired from competitive football at 43, has remained close to the game and has worked with the club’s goalkeepers this season, providing guidance and support.

At 70, his inclusion could see him become the oldest player to appear in an official match in Spain, depending on his involvement during the game.

Colunga said it has named Mateos in the matchday squad for the Tercera Federacion Group Two fixture as a “tribute” to the keeper, who originally retired from competitive football at the age of 43.

“This is neither a record nor an oddity. It is a tribute,” the Asturian club said on Instagram.

“Mateos represents exactly what we stand for at Colunga: passion, consistency, respect for football and a way of living the sport that goes beyond age.

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“We are talking about a man who has been a miner, who has dedicated his life to work and football. This isn’t about numbers, it’s about values. If anyone focuses solely on his age, they are missing the point.”

Mateos has stayed active in local football, continuing to play at an amateur level while also mentoring younger players.

He told local newspaper Las Provincias he is unsure whether he will play the full match, but insists he is still up for the challenge.

“I still feel agile,” said Gonzalez, who is 5ft 8in and represented Turon, Caudal and Santiago de Aller, sides who play at a similar level to Colunga, during his career.

“I’ve remained active, playing for the Hunosa company team, the Turon veterans’ team, and I’m still playing today.

“When I started, it was almost a different sport – the balls, the pitches…

“I remember I used to keep a cauldron next to the goal so that, without the referee seeing me, I could scoop out water when the pitches got muddy, which back then was almost a daily occurrence.”

Sunday’s fixture carries little impact on the standings, with Colunga placed mid-table and out of both promotion and relegation battles, but the occasion is set to mark a notable moment for the club and its veteran goalkeeper.