FIFA World Cup's Oldest Goal Scorers Ranked

Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t fulfill his dream of winning the FIFA World Cup this summer, but he set three new records during the tournament in North America. His opening goal in Portugal’s group stage win over Uzbekistan marked him as the first male footballer to score in six different World Cup tournaments. This achievement also ties him with Lionel Messi for the most World Cup appearances by a player.

Ronaldo’s equalizer against Croatia in the round of 32 made him the oldest player to score in a knockout stage at 41 years and 147 days. Still, the record for the oldest goalscorer at the World Cup remains with Cameroonian legend Roger Milla, who scored against Russia in USA 1994 at 42 years and 39 days old.

This summer’s tournament highlighted veteran players, with names like Messi, Marko Arnautovic, and Ivan Perisic joining the list of top oldest scorers. Below is the updated ranking of the oldest goal scorers in FIFA World Cup history.

Other notable names in the extended list include Martin Palermo (Argentina), Olivier Giroud (France), and Miroslav Klose (Germany). The 2026 World Cup has certainly been a stage where experienced players demonstrated their lasting impact on the sport.