Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon is the oldest player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, aged 43 years and 162 days, highlighting a tournament that features an unusually experienced group of global football veterans.
The tournament has brought together several long-serving international stars who continue to compete at the highest level despite being well into their 40s, underscoring the growing longevity of modern football careers.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is among the most notable veterans at 41 years and 126 days old, while Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa remains a key presence for his national team at 40 years and 333 days.
Croatia’s Luka Modrić, aged 40 years and 275 days, and Germany’s Manuel Neuer, at 40 years and 79 days, also feature among the tournament’s oldest players.
Top five oldest players at the 2026 World Cup:
Craig Gordon (Scotland), 43 years, 162 days
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), 41 years, 126 days
Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico), 40 years, 333 days
Luka Modrić (Croatia), 40 years, 275 days
Manuel Neuer (Germany), 40 years, 79 days
The presence of multiple veteran players has drawn attention to advancements in sports science, recovery methods and player conditioning that have extended professional careers at the international level.
On the other hand , football fans around the world are questioning Cristiano Ronaldo’s participation in the FIFA World Cup, with discussions focusing on whether the Portuguese star has become one of the oldest players ever to feature in the tournament.
Portugal, ranked seventh in the world, opened their Group K campaign with a 1-1 draw against the Republic of Congo.
Head coach Roberto Martínez named Ronaldo the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward in the starting lineup as captain at the age of 41 years.
With this appearance, Ronaldo became the fourth-oldest player in FIFA World Cup history.
The match ended level despite expectations surrounding Portugal’s attack, with Ronaldo unable to inspire a winning performance as both teams shared the points.
The record for the oldest player in World Cup history is held by Egypt’s Essam El-Hadary, who played against Saudi Arabia on June 25, 2018, at the age of 45 years and 161 days.
