In this series, we've been going through a list of the oldest goalscorers in each of the top five European leagues.

Having scanned the careers of five oldest goalscorers in La Liga, Premier League, and Bundesliga, here's a look at the veteran players from Ligue 1 since its start in 1980. These players not only had the desire to keep going at the top level but were also good enough to score in the latter stages of their careers.

 Enjoy your trip down memory lane.

Ricardo Carvalho

It was the Portuguese center back's second goal for Monaco that made him the fifth-oldest goalscorer in Ligue 1. This goal came in Carvalho's penultimate game in the European football when Monaco faced Lyon on May 7, 2016.

Lyon were humiliating Monaco as they had scored four goals before the 40th-minute mark. Carvalho scored in the 42nd minute to make the score 4:1 before the half-time break. However, his goal couldn't inspire a comeback from Monaco, and they lost the game 6:1 after Lyon managed to score two more goals in the second half.

Despite the bad day at work for him and his team, the goal he scored also made him the oldest goalscorer in Monaco's history. He was 37 years, 11 months, and 19 days old at the time.

Ricardo Carvalho Career in Brief

Ricardo Carvalho arrived in France at the end of his career. He had previously played for clubs such as FC Porto, Chelsea FC, and Real Madrid CF before he moved to the French club AS Monaco in July of 2013.

Upon his arrival at Monaco, he immediately became a starter. He subsequently made 95 appearances and scored two goals for the club during the three years as a Monaco player.

Florent Balmont

Balmont scored a goal during the 2017/18 season as a player of Dijon and became the fourth-oldest payer to score a goal in the French league.

In the matchday 23 of the league season, the central midfielder started the game against Stade Rennais and contributed the goal and an assist. He was 37 years, 11 months, and 24 days old at the time.

Again on February 5, 2019, Balmont became the oldest goalscorer for Dijon after netting a goal in the Coupe de France.

Florent Balmont Career in Brief

Beginning his playing career at Lyon's B-team, Florent Balmont played for many French clubs such as the Lyon first-team, Toulouse, OGC Nice, and LOSC Lille before ending his career at Dijon FCO at the end of the 2019/20 season.

Cedric Barbosa

The goal that made Cedric Barbosa the third-oldest player to score a goal in the French league came on January 18, 2015. He scored the goal at the age of 38 years, 10 months, and 12 days.

On that day, Barbosa played against Paris Saint-Germain in the league as a player of Thonon Evian Grand Geneve FC. The French midfielder netted the opening goal with an amazing left-footed shot in the 14th minute. However, PSG equalized with David Luis' goal in the 30th minute and went on to score three more goals.

With the loss, Barbosa's team got relegated that season and played in Ligue 2 in the next one. In the next season, he scored another for the club and became the oldest goalscorer for Thonon Evian Grand Geneve FC.

Cedric Barbosa Career in Brief

Cedric Barbosa spent his whole playing career in France and made 331 appearances in Ligue 1 alone playing for teams such as Montpellier HSC, Stade Rennais, FC Metz, and ES Troyes AC. In 2009, the midfielder got transferred to Thonon Evian from FC Metz. He then went on to play 189 games for the club, both in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. He scored 31 goals for them and provided 27 assists.

Vitorino Hilton

At the age of 39 years, four months, and 12 days old, Hilton became the second-oldest player to score in the Ligue 1.

Hilton scored this goal in a match between Montpellier HSC and AS Monaco on February 7, 2017. Montpellier lost the game two goals to one and his 47th-minute strike was one of the only positives to take away from the game.

Vitorino Hilton Career in Brief

At age 42, Hilton is still playing for Montpellier and has a contract till June 30 2021. He has been at the club since August of 2011 and has played 321 games for them.

In those games, he has scored 11 goals and provided six assists. Among them, 10 came in the league and one in the Coupe de France. 

Benjamin Nivet

Benjamin Nivet Benjamin Nivet began his football career in 1997. He holds the place of the oldest goalscorer in Ligue 1.

The attacking midfielder, who played for teams including AJ Auxerre, SM Caen, and ES Troyes AC, scored the record-setting goal for Troyes in a match against Caen on April 28, 2018.

The match began with an own goal against Nivet's team. However, Troyes got back into the game and scored three. Nivet scored the second of the bunch with a cheeky touch in the 27th minute.

This goal—which he scored at the age of 41 years, three months, and 26 days—also made him the oldest player to score a goal in Troyes history.