Craig Kirby, a 50-year-old amateur footballer, is preparing to represent England's over-50s team and aims to secure his first official cap in Thailand later this year. Kirby has already participated in several friendly matches for the squad.
Kirby, who plays for Vauxhall Motors in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Division, has gained a significant following on social media with his 'Football at 50' profiles. His TikTok and Instagram accounts each have around 30,000 followers, showcasing his matches and training.
The midfielder initially considered stepping away from football following the death of his son Sebastian in December 2023. However, his wife encouraged him to continue playing and began filming his games, leading to his videos going viral, with one compilation reaching 2.9 million views.
Kirby, a personal trainer, maintains his physique and is even undertaking sprint training to improve his speed this season. He focuses on positive aspects of amateur football in his videos, highlighting neat touches and clever passes, which has garnered overwhelmingly positive responses from viewers.