Neuer reaches for the German record
©IMAGO
The 2026 World Cup is very much in the spirit of the last major appearances of stars like Lionel Messi (38), Cristiano Ronaldo (40) and Luka Modrić (40). Messi and Ronaldo are playing their sixth tournament and setting a new record. The records for the oldest and youngest players at a World Cup will not fall this year, even if there are 25 years between the oldest and youngest players. Manuel Neuer (40) achieved two German records in one effort.
In addition to Ronaldo, Neuer and Modrić, four other professionals over the age of 40 are traveling to the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada: Guillermo Ochoa (40, Mexico), Edin Dzeko (40, Bosnia-Herzegovina), Vozinha (40, Cape Verde) and Craig Gordon (43, Scotland). If he plays, Scotland’s third goalkeeper would become the second oldest player in the tournament’s history at 43 years old. Only Egypt’s Essam El Hadary, who was 45 days, five months and 10 days old when Egypt lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in 2018, would be ahead of him.
So far, seven players over the age of 40 have been used at the World Cup finals – six of whom were goalkeepers. They include ex-Cologne Faryd Mondragón for Colombia in 2014 and Italy’s Dino Zoff in 1982. The only field player who was over 40 years old when playing is Cameroon legend Roger Milla. At the age of 42 years, one month and eight days, he was on the field in his nation’s 6-1 defeat against Russia and scored a goal – making him the oldest goalscorer in tournament history. At 41, Portugal captain Ronaldo becomes the second oldest field player in tournament history.
If Neuer, who is currently recovering from the effects of a muscle injury with the DFB team, plays in the tournament, he would be the oldest German footballer at a World Cup finals. This is still world champion captain Fritz Walter, who was 37 years, seven months and 24 days old when he lost 3-1 to Sweden in the 1958 semi-final. Neuer will also replace Lothar Matthäus as the oldest German national player ever.
Mexico talent Mora is the only one under 18 at the World Cup
There are 25 years between Gordon, the oldest player at the World Cup, and Mexico’s Gilberto Mora (17), the youngest professional. The attacking midfielder is the only minor at the finals and can certainly hope for playing time. If he takes the field in the opening game against South Africa on Thursday, at 17 years, seven months and 28 days, he will be just five days older than Pelé was in his World Cup debut in 1958 and would be sixth in the ranking.
In the history of the World Cup, seven professionals who were younger than 18 years old were used. The record is held by Northern Ireland’s Norman Whiteside at 17 years, one month and ten days, when he was on the pitch in the 0-0 draw against Yugoslavia in 1982. Behind him is Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, who took part in his first World Cup in 1998. The youngest German to ever appear at a finals is Youssoufa Moukoko, who came on as a substitute in the 2022 opening 2-1 defeat against Japan.