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Age is just a number was proven once again at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The aging superstars have quelled the doubts if any with their stellar performances.
The top stars and even the two contenders for the GOAT – Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – are among the veterans leading the chart.
These superstars who are probably making their last bow at the title are looking to realise their long held dreams or at least leaving an indelible impression on the event.
The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup is perhaps the only showpiece event in its history where the two most prolific players and the biggest stars – Ronaldo and Messi – are above 39. But the list does not end here.
Ronaldo at 41 is leading the Portugal charge in his last bid to lift the coveted trophy. Messi, at 39, is looking to defend the title. He is leading from the front, scoring five goals in two games so far.
Luka Modric, at 40, is looking to make up for the 2022 slip-up when they lost to Argentina in the semis. Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, 40, had to come out of retirement to help Germany at the World Cup. Robert Lewandowski, at 37, carries the Polish hopes at the World Cup.
There are other veterans also with the Scottish goalkeeper Craig Gordon being the oldest player at the tournament. At 43 years old, he leads a veteran group of players at the football extravaganza.
Age plays a vital role. Sometimes, the experience counts. So many teams prefer experienced players to the youth force.
While in some instances, the energy and stamina of young players take over the experience, prompting the coaches to select a younger squad.
The teams, which have a mix of experienced and the youth players often, go on to win the title. A 30-plus man finds it difficult to match the speed and the stamina of his mid-20s counterpart. In the same way, a young player gets nervous in crunch matches and panic and they have to rely on their experienced teammates.
With this kind of variation in the age, which exuded the exuberance and experience, Argentina went on win the title in the 2022 World Cup with an average of the then squad being 27.2 years. The youngest team at the 2026 World Cup is Ivory Coast with an average of 25.35 years, featuring only four players above 30 and six players U-23.
Panama have the oldest squad with the median age of 30. They have 13 players over 30 years and no one under the age of 23. Iran made an unwanted record of fielding the oldest starting line-up against Belgium.
The average age of Iran’s starting line-up against Belgium was 32.5 years, which is the oldest starting-line up since 1966.
Among the eleven players, who featured in the starting line-up, eight players were in their thirties, three being over 35.
Ehsan Hajsafi and Ramin Rezaeian were 36 and Shojae Khalizadeh was 37. The youngest of the lot, Salah Hardani at 27, was two years more than the average age of Ivory Coast.
