Oldest players in World Cup history
As of 3 July 2026
Illustration: Ashrafun Naher Ananna/TBS Creative
Only fourteen players aged 40 and over have ever featured in World Cup matches in the tournament's 96 year history. Essam El Hadary remains the oldest player, having played against Saudi Arabia at the 2018 Fifa World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo is the oldest player in this year's edition and has also become the oldest player ever to score in the tournament's knockout stage, having scored against Croatia in the Round of 32.
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