The 2026 FIFA World Cup is bringing 48 nations and well over 1,000 players to Canada, Mexico, and the United States — and some of those players are making jaws drop just by showing up on the team sheet at their age.
Every World Cup has them: the legends who refuse to call it a day, the goalkeepers who keep going long past what anyone expected, and the icons who are simply too good to leave. The 2026 tournament is no exception.
Let’s count down the 15 oldest players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, from number 15 all the way to the oldest player in the field.
It would be interesting to find out who the oldest footballers in the 2026 World Cup are, so today we will be looking at the oldest football players in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
15. Nicolás Otamendi (Argentina) — 38 years old
Date of Birth: February 12, 1988 | Position: Centre-back | Club: Benfica (Portugal)
Nicolás Otamendi rounds out our top fifteen and is still doing it at the highest level.
The Argentine centre-back won the 2022 World Cup with Lionel Scaloni’s side and is now back at 38 for another World Cup campaign — this time as a defending champion.
He plays his club football at Benfica and has remained competitive at the top level.
Tough, aggressive, and a genuine winner, Otamendi is the kind of defender that opposing attackers simply do not enjoy playing against — regardless of his age. His World Cup winner’s medal says it all.
14. Johny Placide (Haiti) — 38 years old
Date of Birth: January 29, 1988 | Position: Goalkeeper | Club: Bastia (France)
Johny Placide is Haiti’s captain and first-choice goalkeeper, and at 38 he is one of the elder statesmen of this tournament.
The veteran keeper plays his club football for Bastia in France and brings an enormous amount of experience and leadership to a Haiti squad making their first-ever World Cup appearance — a historic moment for Caribbean football.
Placide has been the backbone of Haitian goalkeeping for years and at 38 will be determined to cap a remarkable career with performances on the biggest stage the sport has to offer.
13. Alberto Quintero (Panama) — 38 years old
Date of Birth: December 18, 1987 | Position: Midfielder | Club: Plaza Amador (Panama)
Alberto Quintero is one of the most-capped players Panama has ever produced and one of the great servants of CONCACAF football.
The veteran winger has been flying the flag for Los Canaleros for close to two decades and at 38 is still in the squad as Panama make their second World Cup appearance.
Panama made history with their debut in Russia 2018 and now they’re back. Quintero is the experienced heartbeat of a side that punches above its weight on the international stage. Playing in a World Cup at 38 — respect.
12. Weverton (Brazil) — 38 years old
Date of Birth: December 13, 1987 | Position: Goalkeeper | Club: Grêmio (Brazil)
Weverton is the third-choice goalkeeper in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad and at 38 is the eldest member of a side loaded with world-class talent.
With Alisson and Ederson ahead of him in the pecking order, game time will be limited — but the fact that Brazil trust him enough to include him at this age says everything about his standing in Brazilian football.
A hugely decorated domestic goalkeeper who won multiple Brasileirão titles and Copa do Brasil trophies during his time with Palmeiras, Weverton brings calm, experience, and professionalism to the Brazilian camp.
11. Tim Ream (USA) — 38 years old
Date of Birth: October 5, 1987 | Position: Defender | Club: Charlotte FC (USA)
Tim Ream is the veteran anchor of the US defence and at 38 brings the kind of calm, leadership and experience that every World Cup squad needs.
Playing on home soil in front of an American crowd would be a dream ending to any international career, and Ream has earned his place in this squad through years of consistent, reliable performances.
Mauricio Pochettino has built a squad full of exciting young talent, and Ream is the experienced old guard helping to hold it all together.
He may not be a guaranteed starter, but his presence in the dressing room is absolutely invaluable.
10. Lionel Messi (Argentina) — 38 years old
Date of Birth: June 24, 1987 | Position: Forward | Club: Inter Miami (USA)
Lionel Messi. What else is there to say? The greatest player in football history turns 39 during the tournament itself — his birthday falling on June 24 — making him one of the oldest outfield players at the entire World Cup. He arrives as the defending champion, having finally won the World Cup with Argentina in Qatar in 2022 — the moment that completed an already perfect legacy.
Now at Inter Miami, Messi is playing in the USA — the same country co-hosting this World Cup — and brings with him 116 international goals and 198 caps. This is almost certainly his final World Cup. The football world will be watching every single moment. With the most decorated footballers in history stepping onto the pitch once more, this is a privilege to witness.
9. El Mahdy Soliman (Egypt) — 39 years old
Date of Birth: June 8, 1987 | Position: Goalkeeper | Club: Zamalek (Egypt)
El Mahdy Soliman is Egypt’s fourth-choice goalkeeper and at 39 is one of the oldest players at the tournament.
The Zamalek stopper has earned his call-up through decades of service to Egyptian club football and represents the experienced backbone of a goalkeeping group that also includes Mohamed El Shenawy.
Egypt are appearing at the World Cup for just the second time in modern history — their previous appearance was back in 1990 — and having experienced players like Soliman around the camp alongside Mohamed Salah provides genuine leadership and calm.
8. Yūto Nagatomo (Japan) — 39 years old
Date of Birth: September 12, 1986 | Position: Defender | Club: FC Tokyo (Japan)
Yūto Nagatomo is a Japanese football legend and at 39 is still representing his country at a World Cup.
The veteran left-back — who has played in Europe for clubs including Inter Milan, Galatasaray, and Marseille — is now back in Japan with FC Tokyo but was included in Hajime Moriyasu’s squad for what will surely be his farewell World Cup.
Nagatomo has 144 international caps and has been one of Japan’s most dependable servants for nearly two decades.
He is one of the most experienced international defenders at this tournament, and his inclusion at 39 is a true testament to how well he has looked after himself.
7. Vozinha (Cape Verde) — 40 years old
Date of Birth: June 3, 1986 | Position: Goalkeeper | Club: Chaves (Portugal)
Vozinha — real name Josimar Vozinha — is Cape Verde’s veteran number one and at 40 years old is still going strong for the Blue Sharks.
The goalkeeper plays his club football for Chaves in Portugal and has been a mainstay of Cape Verdean football for many years, racking up 85 international caps.
Cape Verde have become one of Africa’s most consistent and exciting national teams in recent years, and Vozinha has been a key part of that journey.
Making a World Cup at 40 is extraordinary by any measure, and the Cape Verdean fans will be proud to see him between the sticks on the biggest stage the sport has to offer.
6. Manuel Neuer (Germany) — 40 years old
Date of Birth: March 27, 1986 | Position: Goalkeeper | Club: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Manuel Neuer is one of the greatest goalkeepers in football history, and at 40 he is still the number one for Germany.
The Bayern Munich shot-stopper revolutionised modern goalkeeping with his sweeper-keeper style and has won virtually everything there is to win in club football — multiple Bundesliga titles, Champions Leagues, and a World Cup with Germany in 2014.
With 124 caps to his name, Neuer remains Germany’s undisputed first choice, and Julian Nagelsmann clearly believes there is still plenty left in the tank.
At 40, commanding his penalty area and sweeping up danger behind the defensive line, he is still one of the best in the business. One of the truly iconic figures of the 2026 tournament.
5. Edin Džeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina) — 40 years old
Date of Birth: March 17, 1986 | Position: Forward | Club: Schalke 04 (Germany)
Edin Džeko is a Bosnian football legend and at 40 is still leading the line as captain for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
With 148 caps and 73 international goals, he is Bosnia’s all-time leading scorer by a country mile and one of the most prolific strikers the Balkans has ever produced.
Džeko has had a remarkable club career spanning Manchester City, Roma, Inter Milan, and now Schalke 04 in Germany.
He was crucial to Bosnia qualifying for the 2026 World Cup — their first-ever appearance at a FIFA World Cup — and will be desperate to sign off his international career with a memorable performance on the biggest stage. At 40, he is still a huge physical threat and a leader in every sense of the word.
4. Luka Modrić (Croatia) — 40 years old
Date of Birth: September 9, 1985 | Position: Midfielder | Club: AC Milan (Italy)
If there is one player who simply refuses to age, it is Luka Modrić. The Croatian maestro is at his fifth World Cup and is still — still — one of the most graceful and intelligent midfielders on the planet at 40 years old. He won the Ballon d’Or in 2018, led Croatia to the World Cup final that same year, and then to third place again in 2022.
Now playing his club football at AC Milan after his legendary spell at Real Madrid, Modrić has shown he can still perform at the top level. He is captain of Croatia and one of the greatest players ever to play the game. The 2026 World Cup may well be his last dance, and every football fan who respects the game should enjoy watching him while they still can.
3. Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico) — 40 years old
Date of Birth: July 13, 1985 | Position: Goalkeeper | Club: AEL Limassol (Cyprus)
Six World Cups. Six. Guillermo Ochoa is at his sixth FIFA World Cup and does so at 40 years old, playing on home soil. It is one of the most extraordinary records in football history for a goalkeeper and makes him one of the most iconic figures in Mexican football history.
Who can forget his legendary performances at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil where he kept Brazil at bay with a series of stunning saves? He has been the face of Mexican goalkeeping for twenty years and now gets one more chance to shine in front of his own people. Playing in a World Cup at 40 is a genuinely remarkable achievement and one that deserves every bit of the recognition it gets.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) — 41 years old
Date of Birth: February 5, 1985 | Position: Forward | Club: Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia)
Cristiano Ronaldo is 41 years old and is at the World Cup. Let that sink in. The Portugal captain — with 226 caps and 143 international goals, both all-time world records — is still going, still scoring, and still turning up at the biggest tournaments on the planet.
After leaving Europe for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, many questioned whether his top-level career was winding down. He has answered emphatically on the international stage. At 41, he remains Portugal’s captain and talisman, and Roberto Martínez clearly still believes he has a huge part to play.
This is almost certainly Ronaldo’s final World Cup, and the man who has spent his entire career chasing Messi — and lifting every other trophy imaginable along the way — will be desperate to go out with the ultimate prize. One of the greatest athletes of the modern era, and still here at 41. Remarkable.
1. Craig Gordon (Scotland) — 43 years old
Date of Birth: December 31, 1982 | Position: Goalkeeper | Club: Heart of Midlothian (Scotland)
And there he is — the oldest player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Craig Gordon of Scotland is 43 years old and is going to the World Cup alongside teammates who were not even born when he made his Scotland debut in 2004.
After suffering a career-threatening double leg break in 2022, many feared his playing days at the highest level were over. Instead, the former Sunderland and Celtic star battled back to reclaim his place for club and country. Gordon would be the second-oldest player in the World Cup’s 96-year history if he gets on the field — Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary was 45 when he played at the 2018 World Cup.
This is Scotland’s first World Cup since 1998 and Gordon played his part in the qualifying campaign. Steve Clarke says he deserves to be there — and after everything he has been through, it is very hard to argue. One of the great stories of the 2026 World Cup.
Conclusion
The 2026 World Cup is proof that in football, age really is just a number. Whether it is Modrić threading passes at 40, Džeko leading the line at 40, Neuer commanding his goal at 40, Ochoa making saves at 40, Ronaldo chasing glory at 41, Messi lifting the world with a single touch at 38, or Craig Gordon defying all the odds at 43 — the tournament in North America has no shortage of players making the most of every last moment.
Want more World Cup content? Check out our guide on the youngest players at the 2022 World Cup, the clubs with the most trophies in football, and the greatest number 1 goalkeepers in the game.
Who is your favourite older player at the 2026 World Cup? Drop a comment below!
