At the start of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA published the final lists of the 48 selected teams, and the squads reveal a wealth of interesting data. For statistics enthusiasts, the rosters highlight the extremes of age and height of the players called up for the tournament.
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From Craig Gordon to Gilberto Mora: Age Extremes
The oldest player in the World Cup is Scotland’s Craig Gordon, 43. The goalkeeper, who debuted in 2000 with Heart of Midlothian and later played for Sunderland, is participating in his second World Cup after being sidelined for two years with a knee injury.
At 43 years and 162 days, Gordon surpasses figures such as Cristiano Ronaldo (41), Luka Modric, Guillermo Ochoa, Edin Dzeko (40), and Lionel Messi (39). However, he is far from the absolute record,”which belongs to Egyptian Essam El-Hadary, who played on June 25, 2018, at 45 years old.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, more than 25 years separate the oldest player from the youngest. Mexican Gilberto Mora, at 17 years old, is the youngest player in the competition. In total, there are 22 players under 20 years old and seven who will have turned 40 by the start of the competition.
Así quedaron los grupos tras la primera fecha.
#CopaMundialFIFA pic.twitter.com/YhWMnhkxEa
— Copa Mundial FIFA
(@fifaworldcup_es) June 18, 2026
The text reads, “Here’s how the groups stand after the first matchday.”
The giants and the shortest players of the tournament
Height statistics also offer surprising numbers at the USA, Mexico, and Canada World Cup. The tallest player in the tournament is Austrian goalkeeper Florian Wiegele, at 2.05 meters (6’9″), who plays for Argentina’s second opponent in the competition.
Other notable players for their height include 24-year-old Czech goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek of SC Braga and Australian defender Harry Souttar (1.98 m/6’6″); Belgian Thibaut Courtois (1.99 m/6’6″); Mike Penders and Sasa Kalajdzic (2.00 m/6’7″); and Bosnian Stjepan Radeljic (2.01 m/6’7″).
On the other hand, Panamanian striker Yanis Velasco, at 160 centimeters (5’3″), is the shortest player. Although Messi was nicknamed “La Pulga” (The Flea) and Maradona’s height was always highlighted, the Argentine stars are not among the shortest. Below them is South Korean Kim Ji-sung (1.57 m/5’2″). The statistics indicate that there is a 45-centimeter difference in height between Wiegele and Velasco.
Scaloni’s Team in the Top 10 of Veteran Squads
The Argentine National Team appears among the most experienced teams in the tournament. With an average age of 29.03 years, the squad managed by Lionel Scaloni is the fifth oldest of the 48 participating teams. This reflects the continuity of the core group of World Cup and two-time Copa América champions, with key players such as Messi, Emiliano Martínez, Rodrigo De Paul, and Cristian Romero.
According to the final rosters, the squad with the highest average age is Panama, at 30.4 years, followed by Iran (30.3), Colombia (30.07), Cape Verde (29.05), and Qatar (29.48). In contrast, the youngest team is Ivory Coast, at 25.82 years. In addition, 22 players who have won the FIFA World Cup
trophy will return to the world stage.
FULL-TIME | Czechia 1-1 South Africa
A hard-fought Group A battle ended all square in Atlanta.
Michal Sadílek gave Czechia an early lead, but Teboho Mokoena’s late penalty rescued a crucial point for South Africa.
Both sides remain alive in the race for the knockout… pic.twitter.com/3qbv54beIX
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) June 18, 2026
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