As the 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolds, modern football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi continue to add new chapters to their already unparalleled legacies, breaking countless tournament records along the way. Yet one iconic all-time record still remains out of their reach, held decades ago by Cameroonian football great Roger Milla.
Ronaldo made history when he netted the opening goal in Portugal’s second group-stage clash against Uzbekistan, becoming the second-oldest goalscorer in the 96-year history of the men’s FIFA World Cup. Scoring at 41 years and 138 days, the Portuguese superstar edged Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who turned 39 just two days before his 2026 tournament goal, down from third to fourth place on the exclusive list of the tournament’s oldest goalscorers. Messi scored against Austria at 38 years and 363 days, still far ahead of other veterans but short of both Milla and Ronaldo’s benchmarks.
At the very top of the ranking remains Roger Milla, whose record has stood for more than 30 years. Milla, who made his first World Cup appearance at the 1982 Spain finals, catapulted to global fame at Italia 1990, when he scored four goals to lead the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to the quarter-finals — the first African men’s team ever to reach that stage of the World Cup. His iconic corner flag celebration dance became a global football trademark, cementing his status as a trailblazer for African football.
Four years later, at the 1994 World Cup hosted by the United States, Milla extended his historic record. He found the back of the net against Russia from 8 yards out at 42 years and 39 days, a mark that has never been beaten in the three decades since. Even with his landmark 2026 goal, Ronaldo still sits more than 200 days younger than Milla’s record, leaving the Cameroonian icon’s place at the top untouched for now.
The 2026 tournament has already seen a wave of veteran players climb the rankings, with several stars still in contention to overtake Messi’s current fourth place. Bosnia-Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko and Croatian midfield maestro Luka Modric are both 40 years old, and either would jump above Messi with a single goal in the remaining matches. Japan centre-back Yuto Nagamoto is nine months older than Messi, though he has yet to make an appearance at this year’s tournament. Even a handful of veteran goalkeepers are older than Messi, including Germany’s Manuel Neuer, Cape Verde’s Vozinha and Uruguay’s Fernando Muslera. However, no goalkeeper has ever scored in the 22 editions of the World Cup held since the inaugural tournament in 1930, making a breakthrough from that group highly unlikely.
Austria’s 37-year-old Marko Arnautovic has already secured his spot in the top 10, thanks to a late match-winning penalty against Jordan in the group stage. His strike at 37 years and 58 days puts him eighth on the all-time list.
For now, Milla’s long-standing record looks likely to remain intact for the foreseeable future. The only chance it could fall in the coming years would be if Ronaldo or Messi choose to extend their careers all the way to the 2030 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by their home nations of Portugal and Argentina, alongside Morocco and Spain. Given the two superstars’ relentless dedication to the game few would count them out from making one more run at history.
The full top 10 list of the oldest goalscorers in FIFA World Cup history is as follows:
1. Roger Milla (Cameroon): 42 years 39 days, vs Russia, 28 June 1994
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): 41 years 138 days, vs Uzbekistan, 23 June 2026
3. Pepe (Portugal): 39 years 283 days, vs Switzerland, 6 December 2022
4. Lionel Messi (Argentina): 38 years 363 days, vs Austria, 22 June 2026
5. Gunnar Gren (Sweden): 37 years 236 days, vs Germany, 24 June 1958
6. Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Mexico): 37 years 151 days, vs France, 17 June 2010
7. Felipe Baloy (Panama): 37 years 120 days, vs England, 24 June 2018
8. Marko Arnautovic (Austria): 37 years 58 days, vs Jordan, 17 June 2026
9. Obdulio Varela (Uruguay): 36 years 279 days, vs England, 26 June 1954
10. Martin Palermo (Argentina): 36 years 227 days, vs Greece, 22 June 2010