Whoever said you’re over the hill after turning 40 never saw some of the world’s biggest soccer stars.
The FIFA World Cup begins Thursday and runs through July 19, with matches being played across 16 host cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The tournament features seven players aged 40 or older — a World Cup record. Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera will join them when he turns 40 on June 16.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the World Cup’s 40-and-over club:
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo, 41, remains in peak physical condition thanks to a strict diet that excludes dairy products. His former chef, Giorgio Barone, said it’s abnormal to consume those in adulthood. The forward substitutes them with almond, oat and rice milk products. He also avoids traditional carbohydrates like pasta and bread and eats vegetables to replace them.
Doesn’t Ronaldo know milk does a body good? Whatever you think of his diet, you can’t argue with the results. Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner as the world’s best player, has 25 goals in his past 31 matches for Portugal.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez noted in May that Ronaldo’s constant desire to improve, even if it requires dietary sacrifices, has helped extend his career.
“Cristiano is not defined by what he eats, but by the hunger he possesses. Whatever Cristiano wins, the very next day he has the same hunger to improve,” Martinez said (h/t ESPN’s Adriana Garcia).
The insatiable hunger could help Ronaldo win his first World Cup. A stacked Portugal squad that includes midfielder Bruno Fernandes gives him a strong chance of doing so in what will be his last appearance in the quadrennial tournament.
Croatia midfielder Luka Modric
Modric, 40, focuses on using resistance bands in his training regimen rather than heavy weights, like former New England Patriots/Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady.
Per The Athletic’s Michael Walker, Modric spends 30 to 45 minutes a day exercising with elastic bands to maintain leg muscle without losing flexibility. That has kept his legs fresh.
In 34 matches this season for Series A AC Milan, he has played 2,811 minutes, the second most in his 19-year club career.
Modric underwent surgery for a fractured cheekbone he suffered in a match against Juventus in April. Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic said at the team’s roster reveal in May that he doesn’t anticipate this affecting his availability for the World Cup, and he will wear a mask to protect his face.
Scotland goalie Craig Gordon
Gordon is the oldest player in the 2026 World Cup. He’ll be 43 years and 162 days old at the start of the event, making him the second-oldest player to participate in the tournament if he plays. Egyptian goalie Essam El-Hadary became the oldest player (45 years, 161 days) to start in the World Cup in 2018 in a match against Saudi Arabia.
Scotland hasn’t named Gordon, who’s battling a shoulder injury, as its top goalie, giving that role to Angus Gunn. But perhaps they’ll roll him out in the group stage as a send-off.
Gordon has played 22 seasons for Scotland but has never appeared in the World Cup. He never thought he would play in one and almost retired before manager Steve Clarke convinced him not to. He’s glad he didn’t.
“That one moment there tonight, that is worth everything, all the disappointments, all the hard work, all the years that I’ve been trying,” Gordon said after Scotland qualified for the World Cup following a 4-2 win over Denmark in November 2025 (h/t ESPN).
Bosnia and Herzegovina forward Edin Dzeko
Dzeko, 40, earned the nickname “Kloc,” which translates to “lamppost,” when he began playing soccer because of his clumsiness. These days, he goes by a much better moniker, “The Bosnian Diamond.”
Dzeko has become the country’s all-time leading goalscorer (73 in 148 matches). He scored six in World Cup qualifying in 2026.
Along with his storied career, Dzeko’s survival of the Bosnian War (1992-95) during childhood has made him a sporting hero in his country. He won the 2016 State Award for Sports, the highest recognition the Bosnian and Herzegovinian government grants for contributions to sports. Not bad for a former “lamppost.”
Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa
Ochoa, who turns 41 on July 13, could join Ronaldo and Argentinian Lionel Messi, who turns 39 on June 24, as the only players to play in six World Cups. The goalie, however, isn’t comparing himself to two of the best players ever.
“They’re light years ahead of me in terms of what they’ve done in their careers, the goals they’ve scored, the titles they’ve won,” he told the Los Angeles Times’ Jad El Reda for a recent story. “I don’t compare myself to them at all. But the best thing would be, if one day, we could see a Mexican on that list.”
Ochoa’s national pride has made him a fan favorite in Mexico. His popularity has helped him secure a partnership with Dairy Queen, which brought back the Arroz con Leche Blizzard, available through July 31. The sweet treat combines ice cream with rice pudding, cinnamon, sugar and crunchy waffle pieces.
Mexico fans hope he helps the team taste sweet victory by advancing past the World Cup’s Round of 16 for the first time since 1986.
German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer
Neuer, 40, may be one of the only players who has Pixar voice actor on his résumé. In 2014, he voiced the character Frank McCay in the German version of “Monsters University,” the sequel to “Monsters Inc.”
McCay is a superstar scarer who inspires Mike Wazowski, one of the movie’s main characters, to pursue the same career path. Like the animated character, Neuer has probably inspired many Germans to play soccer.
Neuer helped Germany win its last World Cup (2014) and FIFA named him the world’s top goalie in 2020. He has been battling a left calf injury he suffered at the end of the Bundesliga season while playing for Bayern Munich, but he is expected to be ready for the World Cup.
Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha
Vozinha (also known as Josimar Dias), 40, is nicknamed “Granny” but not because of his age. He grew up with his grandparents since his dad was in the military and his mom was working. Older children in his neighborhood began calling him that whenever he complained to his grandparents after losing a game.
His childhood friends probably aren’t making fun of him now. He went 7-2-1 in World Cup qualifying, helping the nation secure its first World Cup berth.