Who could play at their last World Cup in 2026?

The 2026 World Cup is conscionable weeks distant from kicking disconnected crossed the United States, Mexico and Canada successful its caller 48-nation format.

While the tourney highlights emerging talents and debutants from Uzbekistan to Curacao, it besides serves arsenic a imaginable poignant farewell to respective legends of the sport, arsenic good arsenic immoderate lesser-known names.

Age and the carnal demands of the modern crippled mean galore players are apt to participate their last planetary cycle, and watching these icons grace the satellite signifier for what mightiness beryllium the last clip adds an affectional furniture to the upcoming matches successful North America.

Here, Sports Mole picks retired the players who could beryllium appearing astatine their past World Cup successful the 2026 finals.

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Winning the 2022 variation successful Qatar cemented Messi's presumption arsenic arguably the top subordinate to ever grace the sport.

Lifting the trophy aft a melodramatic last against France provided a fairytale decision to a travel that began backmost successful 2006.

While the anticipation was to discontinue aft the 2022 finals, remaining a subordinate of the Albiceleste squad astatine 38 suggests that a swansong successful 2026 is the logical last chapter.

Leading the defending champions into the North American tourney would let the Inter Miami prima to bow retired portion playing successful his existent sporting home.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

Becoming the archetypal antheral to people successful 5 antithetic World Cups remains a testament to this prolific forward's singular longevity and fitness.

Despite a hard 2022 run that ended successful quarter-final heartbreak, extending his hold for a archetypal extremity successful the tournament's knockout, the seasoned goalscorer continues to defy the ageing process with the nationalist team.

Reaching the 2026 finals would spot the Al-Nassr icon competing astatine the property of 41 successful what would surely beryllium a record-breaking sixth tourney appearance.

Securing the lone large trophy missing from a glittering furniture would supply the eventual ending to an unparalleled planetary career.

Luka Modric (Croatia)

Leading a federation of less than 4 cardinal radical to a last and a third-place decorativeness crossed consecutive tournaments successful 2018 and 2022 is simply a feat that defies accepted footballing logic.

Modrid has been the driving unit down Croatia's aureate epoch since his debut connected the satellite signifier 20 years agone successful Germany.

Entering the 2026 contention arsenic a 40-year-old would apt correspond the last enactment for a subordinate who earned the Golden Ball successful 2018.

Neymar (Brazil)

Nothing is assured for Neymar successful 2026, but his inclusion successful Carlo Ancelotti's provisional 55-man squad offers anticipation of a last quality astatine the planetary showpiece.

Carrying the hopes of a football-obsessed federation since his teenage years has taken a carnal and intelligence toll connected Brazil's all-time starring scorer.

Frequent injuries person often hampered the Santos attacker's quality to exert his afloat power erstwhile the Selecao request it astir during the second stages.

Having antecedently suggested that the 2022 tourney mightiness beryllium the last, the lure of a sixth prima for Brazil could tempt the 34-year-old into 1 last push.

Chasing redemption for past disappointments remains the driving origin for a subordinate whose endowment deserves a World Cup winners' medal.

Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)

For De Bruyne, failing to scope the 2018 last with Belgium's Golden Generation remains a root of vexation for a subordinate who dominated the Premier League successful his prime.

Turning 35 during the 2026 tourney means the Napoli antheral volition apt beryllium orchestrating the midfield for the last time.

Passing the torch to a caller question of Belgian endowment portion pursuing a heavy tally into the tourney is the expected nonsubjective for Rudi Garcia's men.

James Rodriguez (Colombia)

While galore players built their reputations crossed respective World Cups, 34-year-old Rodriguez cemented his with 1 unforgettable tourney successful 2014. 

The then-24-year-old Colombia playmaker inspired his country’s tally to the quarter-finals, scoring six goals to assertion the Golden Boot. 

Among them was a superb volley against Uruguay successful the past 16, inactive wide regarded arsenic 1 of the finest goals successful World Cup history. 

That run remains a defining infinitesimal some successful James’s vocation and successful Colombia’s shot story.

Dani Carvajal (Spain)

While the 34-year-old is an wounded uncertainty (toe), Carvajal could beryllium an experienced caput for Spain arsenic they question different occurrence connected the planetary stage.

Winning aggregate Champions League titles astatine nine level has yet to beryllium matched by a heavy tally successful the World Cup during his planetary career.

Given his precocious property by the clip the 2026 tourney kicks disconnected and his wounded proneness, the imminent finals — if selected — would apt people the Real Madrid defender’s last appearance.

Mohamed Salah (Egypt)

Egyptian shot has been elevated to caller heights by a guardant who carries the hopes of an full continent connected his shoulders.

Participating successful the 2018 variation portion struggling with wounded prevented the satellite from seeing Salah astatine his implicit best.

Returning to the planetary signifier successful 2026 for the nation's 4th quality offers a accidental to unafraid a first-ever knockout quality for the Pharaohs.

Entering his mid-thirties suggests this volition beryllium Salah's last accidental to permission his people astatine the World Cup.

Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)

Captaining the Oranje to the quarter-finals successful 2022 served arsenic a long-awaited debut for the commanding cardinal defender.

Late introduction into the tourney rhythm means the 34-year-old is hopeless to marque up for mislaid clip successful North America, and guiding a talented young squad heavy into the contention would supply a lasting bequest for the Liverpool stalwart.

Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico)

Mexican fans person grown accustomed to seeing their iconic goalkeeper alteration into a ceramic partition each 4 years.

Producing spectacular saves against the world's elite has made the seasoned a cult leader of the tournament's modern epoch aft playing successful 2014, 2018 and 2022, pursuing appearances arsenic an unused subordinate of the squad successful 2006 and 2010.

Aiming for an unthinkable sixth World Cup squad enactment would spot the 40-year-old successful a genuinely exclusive class of players.

Indeed, apt finishing his planetary vocation connected location ungraded successful Mexico City would beryllium a fitting decision to his vocation with El Tri.

Luis Suarez (Uruguay)

Having caused a disturbance successful September by claiming Marcelo Bielsa had divided the dressing room, Suarez's clip with the Uruguay nationalist squad seemed over.

While different World Cup engagement whitethorn not happen, the 39-year-old, who has precocious made himself disposable for enactment again, could marque a 5th World Cup quality aft 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.

The archetypal 2 were marred by his goalmouth handball that denied Ghana an extra-time victor successful the 2010 quarter-final, portion helium was progressive successful a biting incidental with Giorgio Chiellini 4 years later.

Not everyone's cupful of tea, it remains to beryllium seen if Bielsa lets the seasoned guardant backmost into the fold for his World Cup swansong.

Son Heung-Min (South Korea)

Producing a infinitesimal of magic to assistance the winning extremity against Portugal successful 2022 highlighted the unthinkable interaction this guardant has connected his nationalist team.

Playing done the symptom of a facial fracture during that tourney illustrated a level of dedication that has made him a nationalist hero.

Reaching the 2026 finals astatine 33 would apt beryllium the last accidental for the Los Angeles FC forward to pb South Korea into the second rounds.

Sadio Mane (Senegal)

No longer astatine the highest of his powers, Mane's 2026 quality successful North America ought to beryllium his last.

Now 34, the guardant was portion of the Lions of Teranga squad that painfully exited successful the 2018 radical signifier connected just play points and reached the past 16 4 years aboriginal earlier losing 3-0 to England.

Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)

Swiss consistency astatine large tournaments has been underpinned by the vocal enactment and passing scope of their long-serving captain.

Appearing successful 3 erstwhile World Cups has made the midfielder a awesome of his nation's footballing identity.

Reaching the 2026 tourney astatine property 33 suggests the Sunderland prima volition inactive beryllium astatine the bosom of the enactment successful what could beryllium his past quality astatine the planetary showpiece.

Wataru Endo (Japan)

Part of the Japan squad that secured historical victories implicit Germany and Spain successful Qatar, Endo's motor was showcased successful the 2022 finals.

Entering the 2026 tourney astatine 33 means this tourney could beryllium the last planetary section of a vocation built connected hard enactment and discipline.

Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal)

Koulibaly cemented his legendary presumption astatine location by captaining the Teranga Lions to the AFCON rubric and a World Cup knockout signifier successful 2022.

Facing the world's champion attackers successful 2026 offers 1 past accidental for the 34-year-old to showcase his enduring prime connected the planetary stage.

Edin Dzeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

After stunning Italy successful the playoffs successful March, Bosnian fans look to their greatest-ever striker to spearhead a instrumentality to the planetary signifier much than a decennary aft 2014's debut.

Prolific goalscoring crossed Europe’s apical leagues has not dimmed the hunger of a 40-year-old icon, who was named among the 26-player radical to instrumentality portion successful the 2026 World Cup connected May 11.

Leading his state arsenic skipper successful 2026 would supply a legendary farewell for a subordinate who defines Bosnian football.

Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)

Twelve years aft his World Cup debut successful 2014, 35-year-old Mahrez could marque his 2nd and last quality astatine the finals.

Then-Algeria brag Vahid Halilhodzic was reportedly accused of fiscal impropriety aft including Mahrez successful the 2014 finals, but specified allegations are improbable if helium is portion of Vladimir Petkovic's squad successful North America.

Chris Wood (New Zealand)

Leading the enactment for New Zealand arsenic they instrumentality to the satellite signifier aft a 16-year lack provides the 34-year-old striker with a long-awaited opportunity.

Experience gained crossed a commendable vocation successful the English apical formation volition beryllium invaluable for a squad making its archetypal quality since 2010, and scoring connected the biggest signifier would beryllium a imagination decision for the nation's all-time grounds goalscorer.

Vozinha (Cape Verde)

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha volition observe his 40th day during the tournament, underlining some his presumption arsenic 1 of the World Cup’s oldest players and his value to a nationalist broadside making their debut astatine the finals. 

Johnny Placide (Haiti)

Placide remains 1 of the tournament’s astir seasoned imaginable participants, with the Haitian goalkeeper having played a captious relation for his state passim the qualifying campaign.

The 38-year-old's acquisition and enactment person helped support Haiti competitory and reinforced his lasting arsenic a large fig successful Caribbean football.