Oldest goalscorers in FIFA World Cup history

Scoring a goal in the FIFA World Cup is a career highlight for any footballer, but doing so at an advanced age adds an extra layer of achievement. The tournament has seen several veteran players find the net, with Cameroon's Roger Milla holding the record as the oldest goalscorer in World Cup history.

Top 20 oldest goalscorers

The following list ranks the 20 oldest players to have scored in a World Cup match, based on their age at the time of the goal:

1. Roger Milla (Cameroon) – 42 years, 39 days
2. Pepe (Portugal) – 39 years, 283 days
3. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 38 years, 363 days
4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 37 years, 292 days
5. Gunnar Gren (Sweden) – 37 years, 236 days
6. Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Mexico) – 37 years, 151 days
7. Felipe Baloy (Panama) – 37 years, 120 days
8. Marko Arnautovic (Austria) – 37 years, 58 days
9. Obdulio Varela (Uruguay) – 36 years, 279 days
10. Martin Palermo (Argentina) – 36 years, 227 days
11. Georges Bregy (Switzerland) – 36 years, 152 days
12. Ramin Rezaeian (Iran) – 36 years, 86 days
13. Olivier Giroud (France) – 36 years, 71 days
14. Tom Finney (England) – 36 years, 64 days
15. Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 36 years, 29 days
16. John Aldridge (Republic of Ireland) – 35 years, 279 days
17. Nils Liedholm (Sweden) – 35 years, 264 days
18. Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Netherlands) – 35 years, 151 days
19. Rafa Marquez (Mexico) – 35 years, 130 days
20. Ricardo Pelaez (Mexico) – 35 years, 103 days

Roger Milla's record

Roger Milla scored his historic goal for Cameroon against Russia in the group stage of the 1994 World Cup. The match ended 6-1 in favor of Russia, but Milla's goal at the age of 42 years and 39 days secured his place in the record books. He remains the only player to have scored in the World Cup after turning 40.

Pepe and the modern era

Portuguese defender Pepe scored at 39 years and 283 days during the 2022 World Cup, placing him second on the list. Lionel Messi, at 38 years and 363 days, is third after his goal in the 2022 final. Cristiano Ronaldo, with a goal at 37 years and 292 days, ranks fourth. The presence of these contemporary stars highlights the increasing longevity of top-level footballers.

Notable mentions

The list includes players from various eras and nations. Gunnar Gren, a Swedish forward from the 1950s, scored at 37 years and 236 days. Cuauhtemoc Blanco, known for his iconic 'Blanco bounce' move, netted for Mexico at 37 years and 151 days. Felipe Baloy scored Panama's first-ever World Cup goal at 37 years and 120 days in 2018.

Other notable names include Olivier Giroud (36 years, 71 days), who became France's all-time leading scorer, and Miroslav Klose (36 years, 29 days), the World Cup's all-time top scorer with 16 goals.