Introduction
The FIFA World Cup is the highest stage in the world of football, where players from around the globe compete for their respective nations. Besides skill and strategy, age also becomes an interesting factor, especially when veteran players are still able to contribute goals in their prime years. This article lists the 10 oldest male players to have ever scored in the history of the World Cup, based on data from Opta Analyst.
Top 10 Oldest Goal Scorers in the World Cup
1. Roger Milla (42 years, 39 days) – Cameroon vs Russia, 28 June 1994
Roger Milla holds the record as the oldest player to score a goal in the men's World Cup. At the age of 42 years and 39 days, he scored a consolation goal for Cameroon in a 1-6 loss to Russia in the United States. Before that, Milla had already been the oldest scorer when helping Cameroon defeat Colombia in Italy 1990 at the age of 38 years and 34 days. His record remains unbroken, and he is the third oldest outfield player to have ever played in the World Cup, after Essam El-Hadary (goalkeeper) and Faryd Mondragón (goalkeeper).2. Pepe (39 years, 283 days) – Portugal vs Switzerland, 6 December 2022
Veteran Portuguese defender Pepe scored his last international goal in the 2022 World Cup when defeating Switzerland 6-1 in the round of 16. He headed in a corner kick from Bruno Fernandes to make it 2-0. That goal made him the oldest scorer in the knockout stage of the World Cup, and the second oldest overall. Pepe later became the third oldest outfield player to appear in the World Cup during the semifinals, although Portugal lost to Morocco.3. Lionel Messi (38 years, 357 days) – Argentina vs Algeria, 16 June 2026
Lionel Messi celebrated his 200th appearance for Argentina by scoring a goal in his first match at the 2026 World Cup against Algeria. That goal made him the third oldest scorer in World Cup history, and it was his 14th goal in the tournament, 20 years after his first goal in 2006.4. Cristiano Ronaldo (37 years, 292 days) – Portugal vs Ghana, 24 November 2022
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a penalty in the opening match of Group H of the 2022 World Cup against Ghana. At that time, he was the second oldest scorer, but his record was surpassed by his teammate Pepe a few weeks later. Portugal won 3-2, but their campaign ended in the semifinals.5. Gunnar Gren (37 years, 236 days) – Sweden vs West Germany, 24 June 1958
Swedish player Gunnar Gren scored his only World Cup goal in the 1958 semifinal against West Germany. That goal put Sweden ahead before Kurt Hamrin added a third goal. Sweden advanced to the final but lost 2-5 to Brazil. It should be noted that Sergei Ignashevich of Russia scored an own goal at the age of 38 years and 352 days, but own goals are not included in this list.6. Cuauhtémoc Blanco (37 years, 151 days) – Mexico vs France, 17 June 2010
Mexican striker Cuauhtémoc Blanco scored a goal in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup against France. He converted a penalty in the 79th minute to help Mexico win 2-0.7. Felipe Baloy (37 years, 120 days) – Panama vs England, 24 June 2018
Felipe Baloy made history by scoring Panama's first goal in the World Cup against England in 2018. That goal was a consolation in a 1-6 loss, but it was significant for his country.8. Marko Arnautović (37 years, 59 days) – Austria vs Jordan, 17 June 2026
Marko Arnautović scored for Austria in the 2026 World Cup against Jordan. That goal made him one of the oldest scorers in the tournament.9. Obdulio Varela (36 years, 279 days) – Uruguay vs England, 26 June 1954
Uruguay captain Obdulio Varela scored a goal in the 1954 semifinal against England. Although Uruguay lost 2-4, Varela showed leadership and sharpness at an older age.10. Martín Palermo (36 years, 227 days) – Argentina vs Greece, 22 June 2010
Martín Palermo scored the third goal for Argentina in a 2-0 victory over Greece at the 2010 World Cup. That goal came at the age of 36, making him the 10th oldest scorer in World Cup history.Other Age-Related Records
Oldest Player to Score a Hat-Trick in the World Cup
Lionel Messi became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the World Cup at the age of 38 years and 357 days against Algeria in 2026. That hat-trick was his 11th international hat-trick. The previous record was held by Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick against Spain in 2018 at the age of 33 years and 130 days.Oldest Player to Score in a World Cup Final
Nils Liedholm of Sweden is the oldest player to score in a World Cup final, at the age of 35 years and 264 days in 1958. He opened the scoring before Brazil came back to win 5-2. In the 2022 final, Lionel Messi (35 years and 177 days) and Ángel Di María (34 years and 307 days) also scored, with both becoming among the oldest scorers in a final.
Conclusion
The record of the oldest goal scorer in the World Cup continues to be a fascinating aspect, proving that age is just a number for players with dedication and quality. From Roger Milla to Lionel Messi, each goal by these veterans adds color to the history of the most prestigious tournament in the world.
*Original source: [theanalyst.com](https://theanalyst.com/articles/oldest-players-to-score-at-world-cup-fifa)*