Winning the World Cup is the greatest honour a football player can achieve and some have waited their entire careers to get their hands on the famous gold trophy. Others are simply content with representing their country on the biggest stage, well aware that they will never get the chance to compete in the final.
For the globe's most decorated nations, many have extended their international career for as long as they possibly can in the hope that they can retire as a World Cup winner. That is a method currently in effect by one of the greatest of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo. At 41, he would become the oldest-ever player to win the tournament should Portugal go all the way this summer.
But who currently holds that record, and which other veteran stars have etched their names into the history books at the World Cup? GOAL reveals the oldest and youngest winners as we gear up for the 2026 edition in the USA,CanadaandMexico.
Who is the oldest player to win the World Cup?
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The title of the oldest-ever World Cup winner currently belongs to Dino Zoff. At 40 years and 133 days old, the former Italy goalkeeper captained his nation to glory in 1982, playing every minute for the Azzuri at the tournament.
Italy defeated West Germany 3-1 in the final, and his experience was crucial in a tough run to the showpiece in Madrid. It included wins over Brazil and Argentina as well, leaving no questions over the credibility of who the best team in the world were.
The average age range for most World Cup winners lies between 25-30, making it even more remarkable that Zoff was able to go all the way while captaining one of football's most iconic teams. The physical demands on a professional football player now are tougher than they were in 1982, but the Italian's exploits at 40 are still an incredible achievement.
| Rank | Player | Age | World Cup | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dino Zoff (Italy) | 40 years, 133 days | 1982 | |
| 2. | Nilton Santos (Brazil) | 37 years, 32 days | 1962 | |
| 3. | Angelo Peruzzi (Italy) | 36 years, 143 days | 2006 | |
| 4. | Franco Armani (Argentina) | 36 years, 63 days | 2022 | |
| 5. | Miroslav Klose (Germany) | 35 years, 249 days | 2014 |
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The four names who joined Zoff as the oldest players to win the World Cup are all legends. Miroslav Klose is the most recent outfield player to do it, winning the competition with Germany in 2014. He also has a Golden Boot to his name, although that achievement came back in 2006, eight years before he eventually won the biggest prize in football.
Franco Armani was part of the legendary Argentina squad, featuring Lionel Messi, that won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The two-time Copa America winner had a front row view on the path to the final - he did not play a single minute at the World Cup in 2022, but he still collected a winner's medal, thanks largely to the heroics of his goalkeeping team-mate, Emiliano Martinez.
Nilton Santos was a flying full-back for Brazil, and is the second-oldest World Cup winner, and the oldest outfield victor. Brazil are the most successful nation in the tournament's history, and Santos was a key part in their run to the title in 1962.
Who is the oldest player to score at the World Cup?
There is one man who stands alone as the oldest player to score at the World Cup. Cameroon's Roger Milla is largely known for his iconic corner flag celebrations and for guiding the African nation to the quarter-finals in 1990, but he also holds an impressive individual record. At 42 years and 39 days, Milla scored in a 6-1 defeat to Russia in the group stage, with Cameroon eliminated before the knockout rounds.
As revealed, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo could make history by becoming the oldest World Cup winner this summer, but he would have to return one more time if he were to break the record set by Milla over three decades ago.
Who is the youngest player to win the World Cup?
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Being a veteran and winning the World Cup is impressive, but so is being right at the inception of your career. Pele holds the record for being the youngest winner tournament, tasting glory with Brazil in 1958 at just 17 years and 249 days old.
He was in the headlines before actually lifting the trophy, scoring a hat-trick against France in the semi-finals, and then twice more in the final win over Sweden. That was only the beginning for Pele, who would go on to lift the World Cup on two more occassions, in 1962 and 1970. It seems unlikely that his record will be broken any time soon. World stars Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, and Yan Diomande are already beyond Pele's age, showcasing just how impressive his achievement is.