Pudishev plays in Belarus aged 56

The substitute midfielder could not prevent his team losing 2-0 to leaders BATE Borisov on Monday but he still became the oldest player to appear in the eastern European country's professional league.

In fact, Pudishev has made something of a habit of late cameos. He came out of "retirement" two years ago in the Belarussian Cup for MTZ-RIPO and even helped set up a goal.

"I don't think that Pudishev's appearance was a clown act," Dynamo coach Yuri Puntus told local media after the final whistle on Monday.

The Belarussian Football Federation's official website even named Pudishev Dynamo's man of the match.

"I'll be glad if someone can assist him to get in the Guinness Book of Records," Puntus added.

Pudishev was a decent player in his prime, winning the old Soviet Union championship with Dynamo Minsk in 1982 and he also played for Dynamo Moscow.

Dynamo Brest currently stand seventh in the Belarus League.

According to statisticians, the oldest player to play in a professional game was Mexican Salvador Reyes who was 71 when he kicked off for Chivas against Pumas in January 2008.

Reyes only appeared as an honourary gesture by his club and was taken off after a couple of minutes.