12 of the World Cup 2026’s oldest players, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Lionel Messi

The internet hasn’t been taking it easy on Cristiano Ronaldo. As Portugal’s first World Cup game against the Democratic Republic of Congo on June 18 ended up in a 1:1 draw, several netizens took out their frustration on the star player. While some praised the Congo national team for a breakthrough appearance after 52 years off the World Cup pitch, others were concerned that the 41-year-old football legend’s age was to blame for the disappointing result.

Others even compared CR7 to his long-time La Liga opponent Lionel Messi, who celebrates his 39th birthday tomorrow, on June 24. “The day after Lionel Messi showed why he is still in Argentina’s team, Portugal were perhaps given a reminder of why Cristiano Ronaldo should not be in theirs,” the Telegraph wrote.

Scotland’s goalkeeper, Craig Gordon, is entering the World Cup 2026 at the age of 43. Gordon is his country’s oldest-ever player, having won multiple Scottish titles with Celtic and Hearts. He’s been playing professionally for 25 years now, after his debut in senior football during a loan at Cowdenbeath in 2001.

Al Nassr forward Ronaldo has been off to a rocky start at this year’s World Cup. Expectations run high for the all-time leading men’s international scorer, who has made 143 international goals for his country at the time of writing.