Scotland
goalkeeper Craig Gordon
is the oldest player in the 2026 World Cup
at the age of 43, more than a quarter-century older than the tournament's youngest participant, 17-year-old Gilberto Mora
of Mexico
.
Cristiano Ronaldo
, 41, is the second-oldest player in this tournament and will be making his record-setting sixth World Cup appearance, breaking that mark alongside Argentina's Lionel Messi
(39 on June 24).
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Other 40-year-olds in the World Cup include Croatia
legend Luka Modric
(41 in September), veteran Bosnia and Herzegovina striker Edin Džeko and Germany
goalkeeper Manuel Neuer
, who led his country to its fourth title back in 2014.
Here's a look at the oldest players in this year's World Cup taking place across North America:
Oldest players in World Cup 2026
Craig Gordon (Scotland) – 43 – Dec. 31, 1982
Luka Modric (Croatia) – 40 – Sept. 9, 1985
Edin Džeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – 40 – March 17, 1986
Manuel Neuer (Germany) – 40 – March 27, 1986
Hernán Galíndez ( Ecuador
) – 39 – March 30, 1987
El Mahdy Soliman ( Egypt
) – 39 – June 8, 1987
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1930 - Uruguay defeats Argentina 4-2 in the first World Cup event held in Uruguay.
(AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1930 - Uruguay defeats Argentina 4-2 in the first World Cup event held in Uruguay.
(AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1934 - Italy over Czechoslovakia 2-1.
(Keystone, Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1938 - Italy defeats Hungary 4-2. The World Cup would not be played again until 1950 because of the Second World War.
(AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1950 - Uruguay wins it's second World Cup with a 2-1 win over Brazil.
(AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1954 - Germany wins 3-2 over Hungary.
(Keystone, Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1958 - Brazil celebrates by running with the flag of Sweden after defeating them 5-2.
(Keystone, Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1962 - Brazil 3-1 over Czechoslovakia.
(Keystone, Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1966 - England defeats Germany 4-2 in England.
(Keystone, Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1970 - Brazil wins 4-1 over Italy in Mexico.
(Action Images / Sporting Picture via Reuters)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1974 - Germany wins at home in Munich over Netherlands, 2-1.
(AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1978 - Argentina wins it's first World Cup 3-1 over Netherlands in Argentina.
(AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1982 - Italy wins it's third championship over Germany 3-1.
(Action Images / Sporting Picture via Reuters)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1986 - Argentina wins over Germany 3-2.
(AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1990 - Germany gets revenge on Argentina 1-0.
(Tom Szlukovenyi, Reuters)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1994 - Brazil defeats Italy 3-2 in penalties in Pasadena, Calif.
(MIKE NELSON, AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
1998 - France wins it's first cup over Brazil, 3-0.
(PATRICK HERTZOG, AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
2002 - Brazil defeats Germany, 2-0.
(ANTONIO SCORZA, AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
2006 - Italy beats France 5-3 in penalties.
(PATRIK STOLLARZ, AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
2010 - Spain defeats Netherlands 1-0 in South Africa.
(ROBERTO SCHMIDT, AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
2018 - France 4-2 over Croatia.
(ALEXANDER NEMENOV, AFP via Getty Images)
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Every World Cup soccer champion since 1930 in photos
2022 - Argentina wins it's third World Cup defeating France 4-2 in penalties.
(ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT, AFP via Getty Images)
World Cup tickets 2026
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:
Oldest players in World Cup 2026: See where Cristiano Ronaldo ranks
