Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are featured among the 10 oldest footballers to score goals in the World Cup final tournaments.
On 24 Jun 2026 GMT+7, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were listed among the 10 oldest players to score in the World Cup finals. The oldest goal scorer is Roger Milla, the legendary Cameroon striker, who scored at 42 years and 39 days old in a match against Russia in 1994.
Ranked second is Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal's prolific scorer, who netted a goal against Uzbekistan at 41 years and 138 days old. Third is Pepe, the Portuguese defender, who scored against Switzerland at 39 years and 283 days. Fourth is Argentina's top scorer Lionel Messi, who scored against Austria at 38 years and 363 days. Here is the top 10 list of the oldest goal scorers in World Cup history.
Top 10 oldest players to score in the World Cup
1.) Roger Milla (Cameroon)
Age: 42 years 39 days
Opponent: Russia (1994)
2.) Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Age: 41 years 138 days
Opponent: Uzbekistan (2026)
3.) Pepe (Portugal)
Age: 39 years 283 days
Opponent: Switzerland (2022)
4.) Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Age: 38 years 363 days
Opponent: Austria (2026)
5.) Gunnar Gren (Sweden)
Age: 37 years 236 days
Opponent: West Germany (1958)
6.) Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Mexico)
Age: 37 years 151 days
Opponent: France (2010)
7.) Felipe Baloy (Panama)
Age: 37 years 120 days
Opponent: England (2018)
8.) Marko Arnautović (Austria)
Age: 37 years 59 days
Opponent: Jordan (2026)
9.) Obdulio Varela (Uruguay)
Age: 36 years 279 days
Opponent: England (1954)
10.) Martín Palermo (Argentina)
Age: 36 years 227 days
Opponent: Greece (2010)