Beyond Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi: 9 icons playing their last World Cup in 2026
worldsoccertalk.com · last month
While the spotlight remains firmly fixed on Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, there are several other icons who will also be playing in their final World Cup in 2026. The 2026 World Cup carries a unique emotional weight beyond its historic three-nation format, serving as the farewell stage for the two most influential players of the 21st century: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. While both will command the global spotlight throughout the competition, they are far from alone in bidding farewell to the world’s biggest stage. Ronaldo arrives heading into what is arguably Portugal’s most promising World Cup cycle in recent memory, even if his own body is no longer operating at peak capacity at 41. Surrounded by a squad loaded with talent including Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha and Nuno Mendes, the Selecao arrive as reigning UEFA Nations League champions after defeating Lamine Yamal’s Spain in the final, with the 2026 World Cup representing Ronaldo’s last realistic opportunity to claim the one trophy that has eluded him. His legacy in the competition is already etched into the record books. Ronaldo holds the distinction of having scored in five different World Cup editions, a mark no other player in history has matched. With 22 appearances, eight goals and two assists across those campaigns, the 2026 edition will mark his sixth World Cup, a record he is expected to share with Messi. As for the Argentine captain, he heads to North America carrying a responsibility no previous version of himself has had to bear: defending the title. Messi will turn 39 on June 24, right in the middle of the group stage, and with the 2030 World Cup arriving when he would be 42, this tournament is his farewell. He arrives as the player with the most World Cup appearances in history with 26, holding a record of 13 goals and eight assists, and with a realistic shot at chasing down Miroslav Klose’s all-time leading mark of 16 goals. Lionel Messi won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022. Luka Modric’s last World Cup Luka Modric will also be taking his final bow on the world stage in 2026. Now 40, the Croatian legend is preparing for his fifth World Cup appearance, having featured in every edition since 2006 with the exception of South Africa 2010. Modric holds the record for most World Cup appearances in Croatian history with 18, surpassing Dario Simic’s previous mark of 11. With two goals and an assist across those tournaments, and having led Croatia to the final in 2018 and a semifinal in 2022, the midfielder is chasing one final memorable chapter on the game’s grandest stage. Neymar’s last World Cup Neymar will also be making what is widely expected to be his last World Cup appearance in 2026. After suffering an ACL injury in October 2023, the forward went more than two years without representing Brazil at international level due to persistent fitness issues, but has earned his place in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad at 34 to pursue what has been one of the defining ambitions of his career. Making his World Cup debut as the host nation’s standout star in Brazil 2014, Neymar is set to appear at the tournament for the fourth time, having registered 13 appearances, eight goals and four assists. After falling agonizingly short in the semifinals in 2014 and the quarterfinals in 2018 and 2022, the Canarinha will be pushing to reach the final for the first time since 2002. Neymar Jr. of Brazil. Nicolas Otamendi’s last World Cup Alongside Messi, Nicolas Otamendi stands as one of the defining veteran presences in Argentina’s squad, and 2026 will mark the end of his international journey as well. Having first appeared on the World Cup stage in 2010 and missing 2014, Otamendi became a cornerstone of Argentina’s golden era, winning two Copa Americas, the Finalissima and the World Cup. The defender has already publicly stated that the tournament will be his last with the national team, with no farewell match planned after the fact, something that may still be considered for
