Scoring at Any Age: The World Cup’s Oldest Goal Scorers

Every four years, the World Cup brings together the best soccer players on the planet. While some stars shine in their early twenties, others prove that age is just a number. The record for the oldest goal scorer in the tournament’s history is a mark that even legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi might never reach.

The Current Record Holder: Roger Milla’s Amazing Feat

Cameroon striker Roger Milla scored a goal at the 1994 World Cup when he was 42 years old. That makes him the oldest player to ever score in the tournament. Milla didn’t just score once—he also set up another goal in that same game. His celebration, dancing around the corner flag, became one of the most famous moments in World Cup history.

• Milla scored against Russia on June 28, 1994.
• He was 42 years and 39 days old at the time.
• No other player has scored at an older age in the World Cup.

Other Older Scorers You Should Know

Milla’s record is tough to beat, but a few other players have come close. Here are some of the oldest goal scorers in World Cup history:

• Gunnar Gren (Sweden) – scored at 37 years old in 1958.
• Ronaldo Nazário (Brazil) – scored at 32 in 2006, but he’s not near Milla’s age.
• Lionel Messi (Argentina) – scored at 35 in 2022, but he’ll need to play until at least 2026 to challenge Milla.

Many modern players, like Cristiano Ronaldo, have amazing fitness and careers that last into their late thirties. But playing in a World Cup at age 42 or older is very rare. Most players retire from international soccer before they reach that age.

Why Ronaldo and Messi Probably Won’t Break the Record

Both Ronaldo and Messi are still playing at a high level, but they are now in their late thirties. The next World Cup is in 2026. If Messi plays, he’ll be 39. Ronaldo will be 41. That’s still younger than Milla’s 42. To break the record, one of them would have to keep playing until the 2030 World Cup at age 43 or 45. That’s unlikely, because even the fittest players rarely compete at that level for so long. So while they have rewritten many other records, the oldest scorer title will probably stay with Roger Milla for a long time.