By Mark Gleeson
June 9 (Reuters) – In a sport where youth is a highly prized commodity, the World Cup starting this week offers evidence you cannot keep a good man down.
A record eight players aged 40 or older have been selected to play at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States – one more than at all the past 22 tournaments combined.
The previous entrants in this rarefied category include six goalkeepers and Cameroonian striker Roger Milla, who remains the oldest man to score at the finals after netting at 42 in the 1994 tournament.
Milla’s achievement won’t be bettered this time around, but the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Edin Dzeko will be looking to join him in the over-40 World Cup goalscorers’ club.
The oldest player of all at the 2026 finals will be 43-year-old Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who if he plays will slot into second spot in the all-time list of oldest World Cup competitors behind Egypt’s Essam El Hadary, who was 45 when he kept goal for Egypt against Saudi Arabia in Volgograd in 2018.
Gordon, however, is expected to back up first-choice Angus Gunn.
Ronaldo is the oldest outfield player at 41 and participating in a record sixth World Cup, a distinction he shares with 40-year-old Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, and Lionel Messi, who turns 39 later this month.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said he would be relying on Ronaldo’s vast experience above all else.
“None have lived what he has in the number of decisive games he’s played over his career,” Martinez said.
“He also brings experience in decisive moments that nobody else in the squad can match.”
This tournament’s other over-40s players include goalkeepers Vozinha from debutants Cape Verde and 2014 World Cup winner Manuel Neuer, who is hoping to be ready to play for Germany against Curaçao in Houston on Sunday after struggling with a calf injury.
Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera celebrates his 40th birthday next Tuesday, the day after Uruguay take on Saudi Arabia in Miami in their first Group H match.
While Messi and Ronaldo have each had injury issues in recent months, their reputations will be under no threat: Messi led Argentina to glory at the last World Cup, while Ronaldo already has behind him the remarkable record of scoring in all five tournaments he has played at.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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