Cristiano Ronaldo may have struggled to make any meaningful impact in Portugal’s dreary 1–1 World Cup opener against D.R. Congo, but the appearance still saw him set a new record.

Taking to the pitch in Houston, Ronaldo had joined great rival Lionel Messi as the second man to play in six different World Cup tournaments. In doing so, he also became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match, aged 41 years and 132 days.

The record previously belonged to Canada’s Atiba Hutchinson, at 39 years and 296 days when he started at the 2022 World Cup in a group match against Croatia.

Men’s World Cup Oldest Players

Only three male outfield players have ever made a World Cup appearance aged 40 or older. Ronaldo is one, Luka Modrić is another. The first was Cameroon icon Roger Milla, who lit up the 1990 tournament aged 38 and then returned for another go four years later. Milla had turned 42 by then but only made appearances off the bench when the World Cup was last played in North America in 1994.

All the rest of the World Cup’s over-40s have been goalkeepers.

Milla, a striker and still the World Cup’s oldest goalscorer, had been the oldest player, including sub appearances. But that record was broken by Colombia goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón (43 years, 13 days) in 2014, and extended in 2018 by Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary (45 years, 161 days).

Ronaldo, who happens to also be Portugal’s youngest World Cup goalscorer from his debut tournament in 2006, could become the oldest player in World Cup outright if he sticks around another four years until 2030 and Portugal go deep in the tournament to eclipse El Hadary.

But the likelihood of that is diminishing fast. Not only is it becoming increasingly clear that he can no longer compete at the highest international level, the player himself has said he doesn’t expect to carry on beyond 2027, which is when his current Al Nassr contract expires.

Could Lionel Messi Break Ronaldo’s World Cup Age Record?

Messi had no such problems as Ronaldo when he ripped Algeria to shreds in Argentina’s opener on Tuesday. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 World Cup champion will turn 39 next week, which would mean he would celebrate a 43rd birthday during the next World Cup.

If—and it’s a big if—Messi makes it to 2030, he would become the oldest outfield World Cup player, starter or otherwise. His career will continue with Inter Miami until at least the end of 2028 after the new contract he signed last year, but there is doubt as to whether he’d keep going longer.

Messi made a point of not committing himself to even the 2026 World Cup and his place at the tournament was only really confirmed when Argentina named its final roster.

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