The goalkeeper of the Mexico national team, Alfredo Talavera, is the oldest player who is likely
to participate in the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Across all the squads, he was born before the likes of Pepe from Portugal, by a single year and Dani Alves from Brazil.
There are a number of legends of the Beautiful Game making the trip, in what is (surely) going to be their last FIFA showpiece tournament. Brazilian Thiago Silva, who has 38 years behind him, and there is also Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric (former teammates at Real Madrid), as well as the América goalkeeper, Guillermo Ochoa.
Ochoa and Ronaldo will play in their fifth World Cup in Qatar 2022, while Alves will feature for the third time after participating in 2010 and 2014, but being left out of the squad for Russia 2018.
Below is a list of the oldest players to have been named in the 831 across the national team squads. Who is most likely to make the headlines? (Spoiler: of course, it’s him!)
1. Alfredo Talavera – Mexico – Juárez – 40
2. Atiba Hutchinson – Canada – Besiktas – 39
3. Pepe – Portugal – Porto – 39
4. Kashima – Japan – Strasbourg – 39
5. Dani Alves – Brazil – Pumas – 39
6. Remko Pasveer – Netherlands – Ajax – 39
7. Aymen Mathlouthi – Tunisia – Etoile Sahel – 38
8. Thiago Silva – Brazil – Chelsea – 38
9. Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal – Man Utd – 37
10. Vukovic – Australia – Mariners – 37
11. Steve Mandanda – France – Rennes – 37
12. Guillermo Ochoa – Mexico – América – 37
13. Bryan Ruiz – Costa Rica – Alajuelense – 37
14. Luka Modric – Croatia – Real Madrid – 37
