Who are the oldest FIFA World Cup scorers? We look back at the 10 oldest men to score a goal at the tournament, plus some other age-related goal records.
Oldest Goalscorers in World Cup History
Roger Milla (42 years, 39 days) – Cameroon vs Russia, 28 June 1994 Pepe (39 years, 283 days) – Portugal vs Switzerland, 6 December 2022 Cristiano Ronaldo (37 years, 292 days) – Portugal vs Ghana, 24 November 2022 Gunnar Gren (37 years, 236 days) – Sweden vs West Germany, 24 June 1958 Cuauhtémoc Blanco (37 years, 151 days) – Mexico vs France, 17 June 2010 Felipe Baloy (37 years, 120 days) – Panama vs England, 24 June 2018 Obdulio Varela (36 years, 279 days) – Uruguay vs England, 26 June 1954 Martín Palermo (36 years, 227 days) – Argentina vs Greece, 22 June 2010 Georges Bregy (36 years, 152 days) – Switzerland vs USA, 18 June 1994 Tom Finney (36 years, 64 days) – England vs USSR, 8 June 19581. Roger Milla (42 years, 39 days)Cameroon vs Russia – 28 June 1994
Roger Milla became the oldest player to score a men’s World Cup goal in June 1994, when his Cameroon side faced Russia in the United States. Unfortunately for Milla and Cameroon, they lost the match 6-1, but the striker extended his own record when he scored the consolation goal.Milla’s two goals for Cameroon against Colombia at Italia 90 meant he was already the oldest goalscorer in World Cup history, at 38 years and 34 days, but he fancied adding another four years to that record just to make it safe.Milla was 42 years and 39 days old when he scored as a substitute against Russia in 1994.
The Cameroon striker never played another World Cup game, and is the third-oldest player to play in the competition behind Egypt’s Essam El-Hadary and Colombia’s Faryd Mondragón.
Milla’s age-related record was overshadowed on the day, though, with Russia’s Oleg Salenko scoring five goals in their 6-1 win; he remains the only player to score in a single World Cup match.
2. Pepe (39 years, 283 days)Portugal vs Switzerland – 6 December 2022
Incredibly, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar wasn’t Pepe’s final international tournament as he went on play at Euro 2024 as well.
But it was in Qatar that he scored the last goal of his international career, helping Portugal to a 6-1 demolition of Switzerland in the round of 16. It was Gonçalo Ramos’ day, as the striker came in for the dropped Cristiano Ronaldo and scored a hat-trick, but Pepe left his mark too.
The veteran showed he still possessed a considerable leap as he rose to meet Bruno Fernandes’ corner, and his header left Yann Sommer helpless to make it 2-0.
That made him the oldest goalscorer in a knockout game at the men’s World Cup, and the second-oldest goalscorer overall.
He also went on to become the third-oldest outfield player to ever play at the tournament with his appearance in the quarter-finals, though Portugal lost to Morocco.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo (37 years, 292 days)Portugal vs Ghana – 24 November 2022
Generally, the 2022 World Cup was one to forget for Cristiano Ronaldo. Some uninspiring performances in the group stage led to him being dropped for their last-16 meeting with Switzerland, and then Portugal were knocked out in the quarter-finals.
But Ronaldo did at least get his name on the scoresheet once in the group stage.
On Matchday 1 against Ghana, the game was goalless until Ronaldo converted a 65th-minute penalty that he won when sent tumbling by Mohammed Salisu.
At the time, it actually made him the second-oldest goalscorer in men’s World Cup history, only for teammate Pepe to overtake him a couple of weeks later.
Portugal went on to win the game 3-2 en route to topping their group, though it was ultimately a disappointing campaign for them.
4. Gunnar Gren (37 years, 236 days)Sweden vs West Germany – 24 June 1958
Sweden’s Gunnar Gren scored in the 1958 World Cup semi-final against West Germany. After the Germans took the lead and Sweden equalised in the first half, Gren’s first and only World Cup goal was the one that put Sweden in front, before teammate Kurt Hamrin sealed the 3-1 win late on.
Gren’s goal helped to put Sweden into the 1958 final versus Brazil, but they went on to lose 5-2 thanks to a Pelé masterclass.
A special mention should be made for Russia’s Sergei Ignashevich here, however. The Russian scored an own goal against Spain at the 2018 World Cup at the age of 38 years, 352 days old – over a year older than Gren was when he scored his World Cup goal. Fortunately for the Russian, we aren’t including own goals in this list.
5. Cuauhtémoc Blanco (37 years, 151 days)Mexico vs France – 17 June 2010
Mexican forward Cuauhtémoc Blanco scored his third and final World Cup goal in Mexico’s shock 2-0 win over France at South Africa 2010.
Aged 37 years and 151 days old, Blanco became the third-oldest goalscorer at the World Cup (excluding own goals) at the time, and the oldest Mexican to net in the history of the tournament.
His 79th-minute penalty helped eliminate France from the group stage of the 2010 World Cup. Les Bleus had drawn their opening game against Uruguay before losing to host nation South Africa on Matchday 3.
With goals at the 1998, 2002 and 2010 World Cup tournaments, Blanco is one of only three Mexican players to have scored in three separate men’s World Cups, alongside Chicharito and Rafael Márquez.
The Oldest Player to Score a World Cup Hat-Trick
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is the oldest player to score a hat-trick at a men’s World Cup. He was 33 years and 130 days old when he scored his treble in the 3-3 group stage draw against Spain in 2018. That was his 51st hat-trick for club and country, while it was also the 51st hat-trick scored in the history of the men’s World Cup.
Before Ronaldo, Rob Rensenbrink had held this record for 40 years following his hat-trick for the Netherlands versus Iran at the 1978 World Cup, when aged 30 years and 335 days old.
Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will be 41 and 38, respectively, when the 2026 World Cup starts and may still fancy their chances of challenging this record if they are still involved with their national teams.
The Oldest Player to Score in a World Cup Final
Nils Liedholm was 35 years and 264 days old when he scored in the 1958 World Cup final for Sweden against Brazil. The Swedish striker opened the scoring after only four minutes, but that lead lasted just five minutes before Vavá equalised for Brazil.
The 2022 World Cup showpiece between Argentina and France in Qatar yielded the next two oldest goalscorers in a final. Lionel Messi (35 years, 177 days) netted twice and Ángel Di María (34 years, 307 days) also struck in a 3-3 draw after extra-time, with the Albiceleste ultimately winning on penalties.
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