Oldest players to make a FIFA World Cup appearance
Short overview
A ranked list of the oldest men to play in a FIFA World Cup match, led by Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary at 45 years and 161 days. The list includes goalkeepers, outfield players, and multiple World Cup veterans.
FIFA World Cup history features several players who defied age to compete on the global stage. Below is a ranked list of the oldest men to appear in a World Cup match, based on their age at the time of their final tournament appearance.
Top 20 oldest World Cup players
1. Essam El Hadary (Egypt) – 45 years, 161 days
Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary became the oldest player in World Cup history when he played against Saudi Arabia in the 2018 group stage. Egypt lost 2-1, but El Hadary made his first World Cup appearance at age 45.
2. Faryd Mondragón (Colombia) – 43 years, 3 days
Colombia goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón set the previous record in 2014, playing in a 4-1 group-stage win over Japan. It was his fourth World Cup, having first appeared in 1994.
3. Roger Milla (Cameroon) – 42 years, 39 days
Cameroon forward Roger Milla scored in a 6-1 loss to Russia in the 1994 group stage. At 42, he became the oldest outfield player in World Cup history, appearing in his third tournament.
4. Pat Jennings (Northern Ireland) – 41 years, 0 days
Northern Ireland goalkeeper Pat Jennings played in a 3-0 loss to Brazil in the 1986 group stage. It was his second World Cup, having debuted in 1982.
5. Peter Shilton (England) – 40 years, 292 days
England goalkeeper Peter Shilton played in the 1990 third-place play-off against Italy, a 2-1 loss. It was his third World Cup, and he earned 125 caps overall.
6. Dino Zoff (Italy) – 40 years, 133 days
Italy goalkeeper Dino Zoff captained his side to victory in the 1982 final against West Germany, winning 3-1. At 40, he became the oldest World Cup winner, playing in his fourth tournament.
7. Ali Boumnijel (Tunisia) – 40 years, 71 days
Tunisia goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel played in a 1-0 group-stage loss to Ukraine in 2006. It was his third World Cup, having first appeared in 1998.
8. Jim Leighton (Scotland) – 39 years, 334 days
Scotland goalkeeper Jim Leighton played in a 3-0 group-stage loss to Morocco in 1998. It was his fourth World Cup, having debuted in 1982.
9. David James (England) – 39 years, 330 days
England goalkeeper David James played in a 4-1 round-of-16 loss to Germany in 2010. It was his third World Cup, having first appeared in 2002.
10. Atiba Hutchinson (Canada) – 39 years, 296 days
Canada midfielder Atiba Hutchinson played in a 2-1 group-stage loss to Morocco in 2022. It was his first World Cup, having debuted internationally in 2003.
11. Pepe (Portugal) – 39 years, 287 days
Portugal centre-back Pepe played in a 1-0 quarter-final loss to Morocco in 2022. It was his fourth World Cup, having first appeared in 2010.
12. Ángel Labruna (Argentina) – 39 years, 260 days
Argentina deep-lying forward Ángel Labruna played in a 6-1 group-stage loss to Czechoslovakia in 1958. It was his first World Cup, having debuted internationally in 1942.
13. Joseph-Antoine Bell (Cameroon) – 39 years, 259 days
Cameroon goalkeeper Joseph-Antoine Bell played in a 3-0 group-stage loss to Brazil in 1994. It was his third World Cup, having first appeared in 1982.
14. Dani Alves (Brazil) – 39 years, 213 days
Brazil right-back Dani Alves played in a 4-1 round-of-16 win over South Korea in 2022. It was his third World Cup, having first appeared in 2010.
15. Stanley Matthews (England) – 39 years, 145 days
England winger Stanley Matthews played in a 4-2 quarter-final loss to Uruguay in 1954. It was his second World Cup, having first appeared in 1950.
16. Rafa Márquez (Mexico) – 39 years, 139 days
Mexico defensive midfielder Rafa Márquez played in a 2-0 round-of-16 loss to Brazil in 2018. It was his fifth World Cup, having first appeared in 2002.
17. Sergey Ignashevich (Russia) – 38 years, 358 days
Russia centre-back Sergey Ignashevich played in a 2-2 quarter-final draw with Croatia (lost 4-3 on penalties) in 2018. It was his second World Cup, having first appeared in 2014.
18. Jan Heintze (Denmark) – 38 years, 293 days
Denmark left-back Jan Heintze played in a 1-1 group-stage draw with Senegal in 2002. It was his second World Cup, having first appeared in 1998.
19. David Seaman (England) – 38 years, 275 days
England goalkeeper David Seaman played in a 2-1 quarter-final loss to Brazil in 2002. It was his third World Cup, having first appeared in 1998.
20. Damas (Portugal) – 38 years, 246 days
Portugal goalkeeper Damas played in a 3-1 group-stage loss to Morocco in 1986. It was his first World Cup, having debuted internationally in 1978.
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