Who be di oldest players wey dey play for World Cup?

    • Author, Jonty Colman
    • Role, BBC Sport journalist
  • Published
  • Read am in 3 mins

Only seven players wey be 40-year-old and above don feature for di men's World Cup since di tournament start 96 years ago - and at least five more fit join di list afta dia kontri don name dem among di squad for dis year contest.

Egypt keeper Essam El Hadary hold di record for di oldest player wey ever play World Cup match, at di age of 45 years and 161 days.

Goalkeeper El Hadary play one match for di 2018 World Cup wen dem lose 2-1 to Saudi Arabia, and im set di record by more dan two years.

Di top 10 oldest World Cup players all dey above 39 and half years.

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Scotland keeper Craig Gordon, wey be 43, na di oldest player wey dem don name for di full squad dis year. If fit play for dis match wey go be Scotland first World Cup in 28 years, di Hearts stopper go become di second-oldest player for World Cup history.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, fit also join di exclusive club of players wey go play at di age of 41 or above, if im play for im six World Cup.

Only El Hadary, Faryd Mondragon, Roger Milla and Pat Jennings don play at least one World Cup match for dat age.

Japan defender Yuto Nagatomo, 39, also dey among di oldest-ever players, if e get to play for 2026 tournament.

Bosnia and Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko, Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and Croatia midfielder Luke Modric all dey 40 years old and dem dey likely to play for di World Cup.

Cape Verde keeper Vozinha go turn 40 bifor im nation first ever World Cup match, so e go also rank as one of di competitiuon oldest players if im play.

Di top 10 oldest players for World Cup history

  • Essam El Hadary - Egypt vs Saudi Arabia (25 June, 2018) – 45 years, 161 days
  • Faryd Mondragon – Colombia vs Japan (24 June, 2014) – 43 years, 3 days
  • Roger Milla – Cameroon vs Russia (28 June, 1994) – 42 years, 39 days
  • Pat Jennings – Northern Ireland vs Brazil (12 June, 1986) – 41 years, 0 days
  • Peter Shilton – England vs Italy (7 July, 1990) – 40 years, 292 days
  • Dino Zoff – Italy vs Germany (11 July, 1982) – 40 years, 133 days
  • Ali Boumnijel – Tunisia vs Ukraine (23 June, 2006) – 40 years, 71 days
  • Jim Leighton – Scotland vs Morocco (23 June, 1998) – 39 years, 334 days
  • David James – England vs Germany (27 June, 2010) – 39 years, 330 days
  • Atiba Hutchinson – Canada vs Morocco (1 December, 2022) – 39 years, 296 days

Dis article na di latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.