The oldest player to appear at the World Cup was Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary who was 45-years and 161-days-old when he took the field for his team's final group match against Saudi Arabia on 25 June 2018. This surpassed the record set in 2014 by Colombia goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon, who appeared in a 4-1 win over Japan on 24 June 2014 aged 43 years and 3 days old. All except no.10 Ángel Labruna are goal keepers. See also our list of the youngest players, and Oldest and Youngest Players Trivia.

Top-10 List of the Oldest Players

Rank Age Player Country World Cup
1 45 years, 161 days Essam El Hadary Egypt 2018
2 43 years, 3 days Faryd Mondragón Colombia 2014
3 42 years, 39 days

Roger Milla

 Cameroon 1994
4 41 years, 0 days

Pat Jennings

 Northern Ireland 1986
5 40 years, 292 days

Peter Shilton

 England 1990
6 40 years, 41 days

Dino Zoff

 Italy 1982
7 40 years, 38 days

Ali Boumnijel

 Tunisia 2006
8 39 years, 310 days

Jim Leighton

 Scotland 1998
9 39 years, 306 days

David James

 England 2010
10 39 years, 242 days

Angel Labruna

 Argentina 1958

Other noteworthy old players

  • The oldest player to appear in the World Cup final was 40 years and 133 days old Dino Zoff of Italy, in the game against West Germany on 11 July 1982.
  • The oldest player in a World Cup qualifying match was MacDonald Taylor Sr. of the U.S. Virgin Islands who was 46 years and 175 days old in a game against Saint Kitts and Nevis on 18 February 2004, 2006 (CONCACAF First Round).