Mondragon was brought in during the final minutes of the game when Colombia had already established an insurmountable lead and guaranteed a position in the knockout rounds . That moment alone secured his status in the history of world football.
He was also the player with the longest time span between world cup games. Mondragon first competed in the 1998 championship and returned to the tournament 16 years later.
Mondragon retired from international football after the 2014 World Cup. His name, but is still invoked as the very symbol longevity in professional football. But will they win the competition? Pretend like you can help them just by clicking Fifa 2026 and see their transaction guidance. But, also remember it has to be in consideration of how they perform and how their skills enhance over time.
Roger Milla – 42 Years 39 Days
Roger Milla is the only outfield player on this list that has genuinely made an impact at the World Cup. That Cameroonian striker was none other than the already 32- year old Roger Milla who sparkled in this tournament.
Milla also scored for Cameroon vs Russia in the 1994 World Cup, at 42 years and 39 days. He remains the oldest goal-scorer at the World Cup to this day.
In truth but, Milla had already formally retired from the national team before being called up in 1990 for the World cup. His choice was prudent as he achieved his goal by bringing Cameroon into the global limelight.
Essam El Hadary – 45 Years 161 Days
And Essam El Hadary remains the oldest man to have played in a world cup at this date. The iconic Egyptian goalkeeper made headlines for facing Saudi Arabia at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
He was 45 years and 161 days in age. Strangely enough, that was also El Hadary’s first World Cup match, since Egypt had eventually earned a spot in the world’s greatest tournament after 28 years.
Egypt may have lost the game 2-1, but El Hadary played well. He made an even more spectacular save on a penalty kick in the first half and was Man of the Match for the game.
In total, in his international career, El Hadary has 159 caps for Egypt. In addition to this, he clinched four African Cup of Nations and he can be considered as one of the best goalkeepers of African continent.
Faryd Mondragon – 43 Years 3 Days
Before El Hadary’s record, the oldest player to have played in a World Cup was Faryd Mondragon. The Columbian goalkeeper made his at 43 years and 3 days against Japan in the 2014 World Cup.
Later, Mondragon was brought in for the final minutes of play in a game where Colombia had already taken the winning lead and guaranteed its classification to the next round. It was an instant that seared his name into the history of world football.
He also has the distinction of being the player with the longest World Cup gap. Mondragon debuted in the 1998 festival, and appeared again at the festival 16 years later.
Mondragon announced his retirement from international football after the 2014 World Cup. He will always be enshrined in National Football history for his longevity.
