Diego Forlan and the Top 10 Veteran Goal Scorers Still Doing the Business

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MANCHESTER - NOVEMBER 23: Ruud Van Nistelrooy of Man Utd celebrates with Diego Forlan after scoring the third goal during the Manchester United v Newcastle United FA Barclaycard Premiership match at Old Trafford on November 23, 2002 in Manchester, Englan

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Today in football, Diego Forlan represents a growing section of footballers—experienced goal scorers who can play for a long amount of time.

This is able to happen due to advances in technology and in conditioning, which allows older footballers to score more goals than at any other time in history.

Due to the large amount of experienced strikers now playing throughout the world, I have compiled the 10 best veteran strikers in football today based on how well they are still scoring.

10. Filippo Inzaghi

MILAN, ITALY - AUGUST 29: Filippo Inzaghi of AC Milan celebrates his goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and US Lecce at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 29, 2010 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

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Club: AC Milan

One of the greatest goal scorers Europe has ever seen, Filippo Inzaghi has left a massive impact in Italy for Juventus and AC Milan for over the past decade.

Inzaghi has scored the second-most goals in the history of European football with 70 and will look to score some more goals for AC Milan this upcoming season.

Inzaghi also holds the record for most hat tricks in Serie A (10), and the UEFA Champions League (3).

He is also Milan's top international goal scorer in the their history with 43 goals.

9. Diego Forlan

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 16: Diego Forlan of Uruguay celebrates scoring the opening goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group A match between South Africa and Uruguay at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on June 16, 2010 in Tshwane/Pretoria, South

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Club: Inter Milan

The winner of the Golden Ball in the 2010 World Cup, Diego Forlan had a season where his performance pretty much fell off the map.

Forlan has since transferred to Inter Milan following the departure of Samuel Eto'o.

Internationally, Forlan is tied with Héctor Scarone for the most goals ever for Uruguay with 31.

8. Andriy Shevchenko

KIEV, UKRAINE - AUGUST 7: Andriy Shevchenko of FC Dynamo Kyiv celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Ukrainian Premier League match between FC Dynamo Kyiv and FC Karpaty Lviv on August 7, 2011 at the Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine. (

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Club: Dynamo Kiev

One of the most dynamic strikers from the beginning of the 2000s, Andriy Shevchenko is still scoring goals for Dynamo Kiev.

Shevchenko was able to win the Ballon d'Or in 2004 with Milan and scored a total of 175 goals with the club.

Internationally, Shevchenko is an extremely accomplished scorer for Ukraine, scoring 45 goals and helping Ukraine to reach the 2002 World Cup quarterfinal.

It appears that Shevchenko could retire following Euro 2012, which partially takes place in Ukraine.

7. Alessandro Del Piero

TURIN, ITALY - JANUARY 16: Alessandro Del Piero of Juventus FC scores the opening goal during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and AS Bari at Olimpico Stadium on January 16, 2011 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

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Club: Juventus

One of the greatest Italian footballers of all time, Alessandro Del Piero has constantly delivered for Juventus throughout the years, scoring plenty of goals in the process.

Del Piero's goals have helped Juventus win plenty of championships, and he's scored nearly 300 goals for La Vecchia Signora.

Internationally, Del Piero helped Italy win the 2006 World Cup and scored 27 goals for the Italian national side.

6. Thierry Henry

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 31: Thierry Henry of New York Red Bulls celebrates after Kyle Bartley of Arsenal scores an own goal during the Emirates Cup match between Arsenal and New York Red Bulls at the Emirates Stadium on July 31, 2011 in London, England.

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Club: New York Red Bulls

One of the greatest footballers to ever play in England, Thierry Henry continues to score plenty of goals for the New York Red Bulls in MLS.

Henry currently leads MLS with 12 goals this season and is trying to help the Red Bulls reach the playoffs.

In his career, Henry has scored plenty of goals no matter what club he joins, and his goal-scoring helped France to win the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.

5. Ruud Van Nistelrooy

BASEL, SWITZERLAND - JUNE 21: Ruud van Nistelrooy of Netherlands celebrates his goal during the UEFA EURO 2008 Quarter Final match between Netherlands and Russia at St. Jakob-Park on June 21, 2008 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty I

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Club: Málaga

One of the most efficient goal scorers in the history of the game, Ruud van Nistelrooy scored plenty of goals throughout his career, no matter what club he played for.

In the Champions League, van Nistelrooy scored 60 goals (the second most ever in Champions League history) and was the leading scorer in the Champions League in three seasons.

Internationally, van Nistelrooy scored 35 goals for the Dutch in only 70 matches.

4. Francesco Totti

GENOA, ITALY - FEBRUARY 20: Francesco Totti of AS Roma celebrates his goal during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and AS Roma at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on February 20, 2011 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

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Club: Roma

One of the most gifted goal scorers to ever grace Italy, Francesco Totti has constantly scored plenty of goals for Roma for the last 19 years.

Totti is currently fifth in Serie A history with 207 goals and has the most goals in Roma's history with 262 goals.

Internationally, Totti's most famous goal came in the 2006 World Cup, when his penalty at the end of stoppage time allowed Italy to advance onto the quarterfinals and eventually the championship.

3. Raul

MILAN, ITALY - APRIL 05: Raul of Schalke 04 looks on during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final match between FC Internazionale Milano and Schalke 04 at San Siro Stadium on April 5, 2011 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Club: Schalke

The greatest goal scorer in the history of the Champions League, Raul was huge in Schalke's run to the Champions League semifinal last year.

His goal-scoring ability has not left him.

Raul has scored 71 goals in the Champions League and 323 goals for Real Madrid.

Internationally, Raul used to hold the Spanish record for career goals with 49 goals, but that total has recently been eclipsed by David Villa.

2. Didier Drogba

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Club: Chelsea

A star for Chelsea over the past seven years, Didier Drogba has continued to shine despite his advancing age.

Drogba scored 37 goals for Chelsea two years ago and has helped the club win the Premier League three times.

Internationally, Drogba has scored 50 goals for Cote d'Ivoire and has helped his nation qualify for the only two World Cups that they have reached in their history.

1. Samuel Eto'o

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 19: Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon celebrates scoring the first goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group E match between Cameroon and Denmark at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on June 19, 2010 in Tshwane/Pretoria, South Afr

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Club: Anzhi Makhachkala

One of the greatest African footballers ever, Samuel Eto'o was recently able to earn the biggest contract in history due in large part to his scoring abilities.

Eto'o is one of two players to score goals in two Champions League finals, and also among a select group to win the Champions League in consecutive seasons with different clubs.

Eto'o has scored 50 times for Cameroon and has scored goals for the The Indomitable Lions in two World Cup's.

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