Cristiano Ronaldo set another record as he started Portugal’s round of 32 match against Croatia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Toronto Stadium in Canada on Thursday.
At 41 years, four months and 27 days, Ronaldo became the oldest outfield player to start a knockout match in the quadrennial tournament, surpassing Edin Dezko, who left the tournament after Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 0-2 defeat to the USA.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker is one of three players to appear in six World Cups and has already led his country to one European Championship and two Nations League titles.
Oldest outfield players to start in a FIFA World Cup knockout match:
| Player | Age | Nationality | FIFA World Cup edition |
| Christiano Ronaldo | 41 years, 147 days | Portugal | 2026 |
| Luka Modric | 40 years, 296 days | Croatia | 2026 |
| Edin Dzeko | 40 years, 106 days | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2026 |
| Pepe | 39 years, 283 days | Portugal | 2022 |
Published on July 3, 2026
