The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the most dynamic and expansive edition of the tournament in its history. The scale of this competition is truly unprecedented. More teams, more cities, more matches and a format that gives a wider range of nations and players a real chance to make their mark on the world stage.
according to 247 bet and other reputable betting sites, the race for the trophy is expected to be hotly contested at the top of the market, with Spain, England and France positioned as the top three favorites heading into the tournament. Spain is currently considered the most likely winner. France and England sit nearby, both fielding squads deep enough to compete in the knockout rounds.
But put the title race aside for a moment. One of the most fascinating dimensions of this particular World Cup is the presence of several players who, by any reasonable standard of football, are in the final stages of their careers. Five players aged 40 or over have advanced to this tournament. Some are here for a goodbye. Still others are contributing at a significant level. All of them have careers worth examining.
The Biggest Players of the 2026 World Cup: An Overview
The five oldest players in this tournament are between 40 and 43 years old, and the list is dominated by goalkeepers. This pattern reflects a broader truth about professional soccer: outfield players tend to retire earlier, while goalkeepers can maintain their physical sharpness and technical reliability well into their forties at a level rarely matched by outfield players.
| player | age | club | country | position |
| Craig Gordon | 43 | hearts | Scotland | porter |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 41 | Al-Nasr | Portugal | ahead |
| Guillem Ochoa | 40 | AEL Limassol | Mexico | porter |
| Luka Modric | 40 | AC Milan | Croatia | Midfielder |
| Edin Dzeko | 40 | Schalke 04 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | ahead |
Craig Gordon
Craig Gordon holds the distinction of being the oldest player at the 2026 World Cup. At 43 years and five months, his presence in the Scotland squad is the result of a career that has shown remarkable resilience.
His Premier League years at Sunderland between 2007 and 2012 established him as one of the best goalkeepers in English football at the time, and he subsequently spent several seasons as first choice at Celtic before returning to Hearts.
What makes his situation particularly remarkable is that this World Cup will be his first appearance at a major international tournament. Scotland’s long absences from major competitions (they hadn’t attended a World Cup since 1998) denied him that stage for most of his career.
Angus Gunn is expected to be Scotland’s starting goalkeeper in this tournament, meaning Gordon’s playing time is likely to be limited.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence at a sixth World Cup is, in its own terms, a remarkable fact. No player in the history of the tournament has appeared in six editions, and the Portuguese striker achieved this milestone at the age of 41.
Most observers had assumed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar represented his final international appearance, but Ronaldo had no intention of walking away from international football or club football.
His motivation is easy to identify. Lionel Messi won the World Cup in 2022, adding the only major trophy that had eluded him throughout his career. This result changed the terms of the long debate about which player is the greatest in the history of football, and Ronaldo is fully aware of this. Winning this World Cup with Portugal would be the most significant achievement left in his career, and that awareness will inform every decision he makes during the tournament.
The challenge is to manage this personal ambition alongside the needs of the team. Portugal have the quality to go far but may require Ronaldo to play a less central role than he is used to. Whether he is willing to do so will be one of the key questions surrounding the team.
Guillem Ochoa
Few goalkeepers in the modern era have built the kind of tournament reputation that Guillermo Ochoa has earned without ever playing for one of Europe’s top clubs.
His name was recognized worldwide through a string of outstanding performances at the World Cup, none more celebrated than his display against Brazil in 2014.
Now 40 and playing for AEL Limassol in Cyprus, Ochoa is no longer Mexico’s first-choice goalkeeper. His role in this World Cup will likely be supportive, but it would be very surprising if coach Javier Aguirre didn’t find a way to give him minutes during the group stage. For a player who has contributed so much to Mexico’s World Cup history, a final appearance on this stage would be a fitting way to end his international career.
Luka Modric
Luka Modric arrives at this World Cup with retirement from club and international football planned for after the tournament. If confirmed, he will join a distinguished list of players who chose a grand international stage as a suitable setting for their final competitive matches.
What separates Modric from other veterans in this group is that he remains a functional and contributing member of Croatia’s national team, not just a figurehead.
He moved from Real Madrid to AC Milan last summer, where he made 34 La Liga appearances during the Serie A season. At 40, his technical ability and game intelligence remain largely intact. Croatia will rely on him to control the pace of their games and provide the stability in midfield that no other player in their squad can replicate. He is also approaching 200 international matches, a milestone that can happen during the tournament itself.
Edin Dzeko
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup was not easy, and Edin Džeko played a direct role in making it come true.
At club level, Džeko helped Schalke 04 win promotion to the Bundesliga this season, registering six goals and three assists in eleven games.
For a forward of his age, this kind of performance at competitive club level is a strong indicator of continued form and relevance. This is only their second World Cup, with their first coming in 2014, when Bosnia were drawn in a tough group alongside Argentina, Iran and Nigeria and were knocked out at the group stage. He scored once in that tournament. This time, with a stronger and more experienced Bosnia at the back, the hope is that the team can progress further.
The other end of the spectrum: youth at the 2026 World Cup
The contrast between the players discussed above and the younger members of the tournament is one of the most striking features of the 2026 edition.
As five men in their forties prepare for what may be their final competitive appearances, several teenagers and twenty-somethings arrive in North America at the start of what could be long international careers.
Mexico’s Gilberto Mora, aged just 17, became the youngest goalscorer in the history of Mexico’s professional league at 15 and has already won the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Germany’s Lennart Karl, 18, contributed nine goals and eight assists in his debut season at Bayern Munich. Croatia’s Luka Vušković, 19, was named Bundesliga Rookie of the Month four times in a single season. Turkey’s Kenan Yildiz, 21, is the centerpiece of his country’s first World Cup squad in 24 years.
From a 43-year-old goalkeeper making his first appearance at the tournament to a 17-year-old striker who has already broken national records, this range captures some of the essentials of the World Cup. It is, above all, a competition where the entire spectrum of a footballer’s career unfolds on the same field, at the same time.
