Ronaldo breaks another record – who are the oldest and youngest players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Where does Luka Modric rank?
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Updated 21/06/2026 at 17:56 GMT+1
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The 2026 FIFA World Cup sees stars across generations coming together with old and young competing side by side for football’s biggest international prize across North America. For some players, the tournament will mark the autumn years of their careers, while for others, it is just the beginning.
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Cristiano Ronaldo appeared for Portugal against DR Congo in Houston at the age of 41 years and 133 days, while Croatia’s showdown with England saw Luka Modric pull on the famous checked shirt at 40 and 281 days.
Ronaldo is the fourth-oldest player to play at the World Cup. However, he is the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match - meaning he has broken another record.
But where do these two legends of the game rank as far as the oldest players at the tournament, and over the history of the World Cup?
At the other end of the spectrum, Lamine Yamal of Spain is considered to be the leader of the new school of football’s brightest young talents but at 18 years and 335 days, does he even feature among the youngest of stars to play at this and previous tournaments?
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Ronaldo and Modric lead way, Messi fourth
| WC 2026 | Player | Opponent | Date | Age |
| Portugal | Cristiano Ronaldo | DR Congo | 17.06.2026 | 41y 133d |
| Croatia | Luka Modric | England | 17.06.2026 | 40y 281 |
| Germany | Manuel Neuer | Curacao | 14.06.2026 | 40y 079d |
| Cabo Verde | Vozinha | Spain | 15.06.2026 | 40y 012d |
| Uruguay | Fernando Muslera | Saudi Arabia | 15.06.2026 | 39y 364d |
| Ecuador | Hernan Galindez | Côte d'Ivoire | 15.06.2026 | 39y 077d |
| Argentina | Lionel Messi | Algeria | 17.06.2026 | 38y 358d |
Manuel Neuer
The Bayern stopper is playing his fifth successive World Cup – having lifted the trophy in 2014 - and is now the oldest German player to feature at the tournament having started in the 7-1 win over Curacao
Vozinha
The Cabo Verde stopper made his tournament debut alongside his countrymen and performed heroics to keep 2010 winners and current European champions Spain at bay in a famous 0-0 draw.
Fernando Muslera
In keeping with the theme of goalkeepers, Fernando Muslera is at his fifth tournament with Uruguay, featuring in his side’s 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia.
Hernan Galindez
The Ecuador stopper is back representing his country at a second World Cup having first been selected for Qatar 2022 and played in the late 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast.
Lionel Messi
Well, if anyone thought after leading Argentina to glory in 2022 that an aging Messi would somehow not be as impactful this time around, they would be solely mistaken following the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s latest sensational display, scoring a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria to soar to the all-time top scorer list.
El Hadary shows age is just a number
| WC All-Time | Player | Opponent | Date | Age at Event |
| Egypt | Essam El Hadary | Saudi Arabia | 25.06.2018 | 45y 161d |
| Colombia | Faryd Mondragon | Japan | 24.06.2014 | 43y 003d |
| Cameroon | Roger Milla | Russia | 28.06.1994 | 42y 039d |
| Portugal | Cristiano Ronaldo | DR Congo | 17.06.2026 | 41y 133d |
| Northern Ireland | Pat Jennings | Brazil | 12.06.1986 | 41y 000d |
| England | Peter Shilton | Italy | 07.07.1990 | 40y 292d |
Unsurprisingly, the oldest players of all time list also heavily features goalkeepers with Egypt’s Essam El Hadary defying his 45 years when playing for Egypt in the 2018 tournament in Russia.
El Hadary took the title from Colombia No.1 Faryd Mondragon who set the record at 43 in 2014 against Japan.
Bucking the keeper trend however is Cameroon forward Roger Milla who starred in 1990 but perhaps played a tournament too far, featuring in his nation’s ill-fated 1994 campaign, making his final and historic appearance at 42 against Russia.
Northern Ireland’s Pat Jennings represented his country on his 41st birthday in a defeat to Brazil in 1986, while Peter Shilton’s last appearance for England at 40 came at the 1990 World Cup as the Three Lions were beaten in the third-place playoff by hosts Italy.
Young stars earn their stripes in North America
| WC 2026 | Player | Opponent | Date | Age at Event |
| Mexico | Gilberto Mora | South Africa | 11.06.2026 | 17y 240d |
| Senegal | Ibrahim Mbaye | France | 16.06.2026 | 18y 143d |
| Egypt | Hamza Abdelkarim | Belgium | 15.06.2026 | 18y 165d |
| Morocco | Ayyoub Bouaddi | Brazil | 13.06.2026 | 18y 254d |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Kerim Alajbegovic | Canada | 12.06.2026 | 18y 264d |
Gilberto Mora
Following an opening game home win over South Africa, co-hosts Mexico had much to cheer, including the substitute introduction of teen star playmaker Gilberto Mora who played the final quarter of the game and for whom there is great expectation from the home supporters.
Ibrahim Mbaye
In a match that featured fellow Paris Saint-Germain cohorts Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele playing for France, it would be young Senegalese forward Mbaye would do his best to steal the headlines with a rocket of a strike in his side’s eventual 3-1 defeat.
Hamza Abdelkarim
Egypt’s hard-fought draw with Belgium perhaps produced a potential passing of the torch moment when young Barcelona striker Abdelkarim was introduced as a sub to replace Mohamed Salah for the final 15 minutes, becoming the youngest Egyptian to play at a World Cup.
Ayyoub Bouaddi
The Lens midfielder caught the eye of the world with an impressive display to keep Brazil at bay in Morocco’s 1-1 opening day draw with the five-time World Cup winners. The 18-year-old is already being courted by several top clubs including Arsenal and Liverpool.
Kerim Alajbegovic
The Bosnian teenager is another whose name is circulating the transfer rumour mill this summer and having already made an impression in qualifying with a goal and four assists for his country, took to the field for the first time at a World Cup to see out the draw with co-hosts Canada.
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Whiteside's record hard to beat
| WC All-Time | Player | Opponent | Date | Age at Event |
| Northern Ireland | Norman Whiteside | Yugoslavia | 17.06.1982 | 17y 041d |
| Cameroon | Samuel Eto'o | Italy | 17.06.1998 | 17y 099d |
| Nigeria | Femi Opabunmi | England | 12.06.2002 | 17y 101d |
| Cameroon | Salomon Olembé | Austria | 11.06.1998 | 17y 185d |
| Brazil | Pele | USSR | 15.06.1958 | 17y 235d |
Norman Whiteside remains the youngest player to feature at a World Cup after featuring for Northern Ireland against Yugoslavia at barely 17 years old, with Samuel Eto’o in second following his tournament debut for Cameroon against Italy in 1998.
Femi Opabunmi became the third-youngest player to play at the tournament after his appearance against England for Nigeria in 2002, surpassing Cameroon’s Salomon Olembe, again from 1998, when the Indomitable Lions took on Austria.
These players all sit in great company alongside a certain Pele, whose debut in the 1958 tournament against USSR would ultimately culminate in Brazil lifting their first world title just weeks later.
Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal became the eighth youngest scorer at a World Cup at 18 years and 343 days old when he scored in Spain's match against Saudi Arabia.
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