FIFA World Cup 2026: The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup has officially begun, and this time the tournament is bigger than ever before. Unlike previous editions where 32 teams participated, the FIFA World Cup 2026 features 48 teams, making it one of the biggest global sporting events in football history. This is also the first time that three nations, United States, Mexico and Canada are jointly hosting the tournament. While football fans across the world are excited to watch young talent shine on the biggest stage, some legendary players continue to make headlines despite their age.
Among them, Cristiano Ronaldo remains one of the biggest talking points, as this is expected to be his sixth and likely final FIFA World Cup appearance.
However, surprisingly, Ronaldo is not the oldest player in the tournament. In fact, he ranks second on the list of the oldest players competing in FIFA World Cup 2026. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi does not even feature in the top 10.
Who Is The Oldest Player In FIFA?
The oldest player competing in the FIFA World Cup 2026 is Craig Gordon, the veteran goalkeeper from Scotland. At 43 years and 162 days old, he is also the third-oldest player in FIFA World Cup history.
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Scotland has been placed in Group C, and their first match of the tournament will be against Haiti on June 14.
Top 5 Oldest Players
- Craig Gordon (Scotland) - 43 years, 162 days
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) - 41 years, 126 days
- Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico) - 40 years, 333 days
- Luka Modric (Croatia) - 40 years, 275 days
- Edin Dzeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina) - 40 years, 86 days
Talking about Lionel Messi, the Argentine superstar is placed 12th on the list at 38 years and 352 days old.
Argentina, the defending champions, have looked comfortable in their recent friendly matches and will begin their World Cup campaign against Algeria on June 17.
Cristiano Ronaldo Second On The List
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, born on February 5, 1985, is currently 41 years and 4 months old, making him the second-oldest player in the tournament.
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Fans will also watch Ronaldo’s performances closely after he missed some easy chances during recent friendly matches.