Age Is Just a Number: 40 Years Young at the FIFA World Cup

The advent of the late spring/early summer months usually signals a break from football as the major domestic leagues draw to a close. However, once every four years, the show rumbles on to the biggest event of all. 2026 is one of those years.

Settle in, sports fans, for the greatest show on turf as the global game dominates the headlines and punters flock to assess the best sports betting offers. 11 June is the date in the diary for the big kick-off in Mexico City, with the FIFA World Cup set to swarm the TV schedules right through to the final on 19 July.

No doubt those called up to the 48 international squads are only too happy to postpone their summer holidays. However, if there is one group of players who could possibly do with a break, it is the veterans of the sport. Nevertheless, the 2026 edition of the tournament is set to serve as a fine example that players tend to play on a little longer these days, with a trio of 40+ stars primed, ready, and still able to step into the spotlight.

Džeko Joins Ronaldo and Modric in the 40-Year-Old Club

When watching the 2022 World Cup, it was easy to assume that this might be the last time we witnessed the generational talents of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the World Cup stage. However, four years on, both are set to make – what surely will be – their last appearance at the World Cup Finals.

Set to turn 39 during the tournament, Lionel Messi doesn’t quite make it onto the exclusive list of 40-year-old plus World Cup stars. However, his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo is now 41 years of age and still firing in the goals for Portugal. Arriving on the back of a season in which he scored 26 goals in 29 Saudi Pro League games for Al-Nassr, a World Cup triumph would represent a fitting finale to one of the greatest careers of all time.

Also on the plane is Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate, Luka Modric. Now displaying his metronomic midfield skills at the San Siro with AC Milan, Modric turned 40 in September 2025. With Croatia gaining independence in 1991, Modric is actually six years older than the country he represents and remains an automatic pick in the centre of midfield.

Rounding out the trio of 40-year-olds is Bosnian goal-getter Eden Džeko. The prolific forward scored for Bosnia and Herzegovina in their only previous World Cup appearance in 2014 and is still going strong 12 years on. Only days after his 40th birthday in March 2026, Džeko scored a dramatic 86th-minute equaliser against Wales in the playoff semi-final to rescue his nation’s hopes of qualifying. Having knocked out Italy on penalties in the Playoff Final, Džeko was confirmed as part of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s World Cup squad.

Goalkeepers Dominate the Old Man’s List

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the top 5 oldest players to play at the World Cup Finals reads as follows:

1. Esam El Hadary (Egypt – 2018) – 45 years, 161 days

2. Faryd Mondragon (Colombia – 2014) – 43 years, 3 days

3. Roger Milla (Cameroon – 1994) – 42 years, 39 days

4. Pat Jennings (Northern Ireland – 1986) – 41 years, 0 days

5. Peter Shilton (England – 1990) – 40 years, 292 days

What is unusual about the old boys’ brigade set to appear in 2026 is that Ronaldo, Modric, and Džeko are all outfield players. Of the players in the existing Top 5, all except Cameroon’s Roger Milla played in goal.

If Cristiano Ronaldo takes to the pitch in North America – which he almost certainly will – he will become the fourth-oldest player in World Cup Finals history. If Modric lines up for Croatia, he will leapfrog both Peter Shilton and Pat Jennings.

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Adam Regan: Deputy Editor

Features and account management. 7 years media experience. Previously covered features for online and print editions.

Email Adam@MarkMeets.com