The 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup hosted by Qatar has finally gotten under, and many football fans will be looking to a month of a fun-filled tournament of football.
The World Cup has featured many great players who have shone despite their relatively old age.
Retired Cameroon Legend Roger Milla readily comes to mind who, despite his old age of 38 and 42 years, respectively, still wowed the football world at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.
There are also many veteran football players who could be making their last appearance at the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
It would be interesting to find out who the oldest footballers in the 2022 World Cup are.
Today we will be looking at the oldest football players in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
10. Luka Modrić (37)
The Croatian legend and superstar will most likely be featuring in his last world cup.
The Real Madrid midfielder is his country’s most capped, and this will be his 4th World Cup.
Despite his age, Luka Modrić is still one of the best midfielders in the world.
The Croatia national team captain will be hoping he can guide his team one step further to win their first-ever World Cup title.
At 37 years and two months, Luka is one of the oldest players going into this World Cup tournament.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo (37)
At 37 years and roughly nine months, the Portuguese legend is one of the senior citizens heading to the World Cup in Qatar.
Undoubtedly one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Ronaldo has achieved a lot of success, but the World Cup still eludes him.
This will be Ronaldo’s 5th and most likely final world cup for Portugal.
The international football’s all-time men’s highest goal scorer will be hoping to end his international career on a high by helping Portugal win their first world cup title.
8. Thiago Silva (38)
Although he is 38, Thiago Silva is still one of the best defenders in the world and one of Brazil’s best football players.
Thiago Silva made his senior international debut for Brazil in 2008, when he was 23, and has won 109 caps for the Selecao.
This will be the fourth World Cup that the Chelsea centre-back will be taking part in.
7. Pepe (39)
Kepler Laveran de Lima, or Pepe, as he is more popularly known, is another player who is possibly featuring for Portugal for the last time in international football.
The 39-year-old defender is one of the oldest players going into this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
The veteran of 3 previous World Cups will be hoping to help this golden generation of Portuguese players to achieve their potential and finally win a World Cup title.
6. Daniel Alves (39)
Dani Alves was a surprise inclusion in the Brazil squad for this year’s World Cup.
At 39 years and six months, the highly decorated right-back is one of the oldest players that will feature at the tournament in Qatar.
This will be the Brazilian international’s 3rd and maybe final World Cup. He will be hoping to help the Samba boys win their 6th World Cup title.
5. Atiba Hutchinson (39)
The 39-year-old midfielder will be playing his first and most probably only World Cup after he was selected into the Canadian squad for the tournament in Qatar.
Hutchinson is the captain of his club Beşiktaş and the Canadian national team.
Atiba has featured in 98 international games for the Canucks and will possibly earn his hundredth cap in the course of the competition.
He is also one of the oldest outfield players in the 2022 World Cup.
4. Remko Pasveer (39)
Pasveer is a goalkeeper who plays as a goalkeeper for Ajax and the Netherlands national team.
In September 2022, he made his debut for the Dutch national team at the age of 38 and became the second oldest player to ever debut for the Dutch national team.
Now aged 39, Pasveer was selected by Louis Van Gaal for the 2022 World Cup.
3. Aymen Mathlouthi (39)
Tunisia’s Aymen Mathlouthi is another one of the oldest soccer players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Mathlouthi, who plays as a goalkeeper for Étoile du Sahel,
The 39-year-old played at the 2018 World Cup with Tunisia and was Tunisia’s starting goalkeeper vs. Panama at the last group stage match of the 2018 World Cup
Mathlouthi was called up for the 2022 World Cup; it will be his second representing his country.
2. Eiji Kawashima (39)
Eiji Kawashima is a 39-year-old Japanese goalkeeper who plays for French Ligue 1 club Strasbourg.
Kawashima is one of the most experienced football players in Japan for the 2022 World Cup.
He played for Japan at the 2010, 2014, and 2018 World Cups and has so far earned 98 caps.
Eiji was named in the final 26-player roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and will be playing in his fourth World Cup.
1. Alfredo Talavera (40)
Alfredo, at 40 years and two months, is the oldest player heading into the world cup in Qatar.
Talavera plays as a goalkeeper for Liga MX club Juárez and has 40 caps for the Mexican national team.
This will be the Mexican goalkeeper’s 3rd World Cup after being part of the previous Mexico squads of 2014 and 2018.
