Who is the oldest player to play at a World Cup?
As of November 2022, Egypt's Essam El-Hadary was the oldest player to ever play in the FIFA World Cup, having been 45 years and 161 days old when he made his World Cup debut against Saudi Arabia in 2018. The oldest outfield player was Cameroon's Roger Milla, at 42 years and 39 days.
Messi and Di Maria enter the top three oldest goal scorers in FIFA World Cup Finals. With a goal apiece in the FIFA World Cup Final™, Angel Di Maria and Lionel Messi join Swedish legend Nils Liedholm in the top three oldest scorers ever in the showpiece match.
There is no max or minimum age limit, but anyone over 35 years old is a dinosaur in football, most teams who won the World cup had an average age of 27.
| # | Player | Age at that time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Essam El Hadary Goalkeeper | 45 years 05 months 10 days |
| 2 | Faryd Mondragón Goalkeeper | 43 years 03 days |
| 3 | Roger Milla Centre-Forward | 42 years 01 month 08 days |
| 4 | Pat Jennings Goalkeeper | 41 years 00 days |
Pat Jennings (Northern Ireland) - 41 years
It was Northern Ireland goalkeeper Pat Jennings's 41st birthday when he took the field against mighty Brazil in the group stage match of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
The benefits of playing football when you're over 40
Not only physically, but mentally too.” They found that the players enjoyed improved cardiovascular health, better bone density and postural strength that can protect you from broken bones, which is great for when you get really old.
It is important to remember that participating in sports in your 40s and 50s is not without risk. Your bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles no longer respond as they did in your teens, and recovery can take longer as physical damage requires more healing time.
Children under 12 will not be charged. The Hayya Card is mandatory for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ fans. It provides access to stadiums with a valid match ticket, entry to the FIFA Fan Festival™ and free public transport.
As of November 2022, Northern Ireland's Norman Whiteside was the youngest player to ever play in a World Cup, aged 17 years and 40 days when he played against Yugoslavia in 1982. The youngest player at the 2022 World Cup, Germany's Youssoufa Moukoko, turned 18 on the day the tournament kicked off.
It depends on the respective boards. The board will define a deadline, by which the player should not turned 19 years of age. It is possible for a 19 year old player to play for under-19 team.