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Rabat – For most footballers, it is almost impossible to imagine themselves playing in a World Cup. Yet Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal’s captain during this year’s FIFA tournament.
As he writes another chapter for an extraordinary career with Portugal’s national team, he becomes the fourth-oldest player to take the field in World Cup history. He officially took the field at 41 years and 132 days old when manager Roberto Martinez started him in Portugal‘s Group K opener against the DR Congo on June 17, edging legendary Northern Ireland goalkeeper Pat Jennings for fourth place in the all-time rankings.
While Ronaldo’s achievement is historic, three icons still sit at the top of the list ahead of him in the longevity ranks. The oldest World Cup player record belongs to the Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary, who played in the 2018 World Cup at the age of 45 years and 161 days, followed by Colombian goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón (43 years, 3 days) and Cameroonian striker Roger Milla (42 years, 39 days).
By taking the field, Ronaldo has surpassed other iconic players over 40 years, including England’s Peter Shilton (40 years, 292 days) and Italy’s 1982 World Cup-winning captain Dino Zoff (40 years, 133 days).
Ronaldo reached new heights of history-making runs during the Round of 32, where Portugal managed to win against Croatia. At the age of 41 years and 147 days old, he is now the oldest player to ever score and feature in a World Cup knockout match, converting a penalty in the 68th minute that sparked the comeback of Portugal.
The match also made history as the first World Cup fixture to feature two outfield players over 40 facing each other. Besides Ronaldo, there was Croatia’s 40-year-old captain, Luka Modric, further underlining his longevity.
Ronaldo’s impact on this tournament extends further, as his appearance marks an unprecedented sixth World Cup appearance, which is a milestone of sheer endurance.
Furthermore, the Portuguese leader has found ways to continue rewriting the goal-scoring charts, when he scored against Uzbekistan in Portugal’s second group match at 41 years and 138 days old, becoming the second-oldest World Cup scorer of all time, sitting behind Roger Milla and pushing his rival Lionel Messi down to fourth place.
As the 2026 World Cup progresses, Ronaldo also acts as a testament to his own incomparable discipline; it simply reminds us that age is a mere number.
