Is it possible for a player to play in 6 World Cups?

[Kid Chameleon]

This is a question I've been thinking about for years. The idea that a player could play in his first World Cup at 18 (as Michael Owen did) and play in every World Cup for the next 20 years and still be relevant to the team at the age of 38. We all know about Roger Milla's supersub antics in Italia 90 but Cameroon didn't qualify for a World Cup until 1982 by which time Milla was 30. Maradona would have played in 5 if he had been selected in 1978 and if he had stayed off the drugs he might just have made it to France 98. Michael Owen had a shot at this but with his injury record he was never going to be playing international football at the age of 38. Wayne Rooney didn't because he came on the scene just after the 2002 WC and didn't play in the WC until 2006.

It seems a lot of factors have to be right for a player to be able to do this:

1) He needs an early break. He's got to be a young wonderkid getting in the national team before the age of 20.
2) He needs that early break just before a World Cup.
3) He needs to play for a country that qualifies for every World Cup.
4) He needs to be an exceptional player that the manager will never drop.
5) He needs to be very fortunate with injuries.

I'm not a fan of CR7s attitude but he has played in 5 WC and it's just conceivable that he might do it in 2026 at the age of 41 but he really needed to be on the international scene a few years earlier. If he had played in the 2002 WC at the age of 17, he would have done it in Qatar.

 

[FightingIllini]

Yes

 

[OffTheBench]

I think Messi could well do it: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, just leaves 2026. He'll be 39 I think.

 

[zin]

I think Messi could well do it: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, just leaves 2026. He'll be 39 I think.

Messi has doubts about playing 2026 World Cup at age 39

 

[OffTheBench]

Messi has doubts about playing 2026 World Cup at age 39

Only time will tell.

 

[Mostly wrong]

It could happen theoretically but most older pros will retire from international football before it happens, even Messi as amazing as he is will be well past it at 39 with the mileage on him, I guess he might make the squad out of ssentimentality so if anyone's gonna do it, it's him.

 

[Crockett]

How many has Jesus Navas done? Must be 4 or 5 and he is still going strong.

 

[r-u-s-x]

Messi could retire and would be welcomed back for the WC just for the tournament

 

[Starks]

How many has Jesus Navas done? Must be 4 or 5 and he is still going strong.

He's played at one World Cup

He's only been selected for 3 Spain squad at Tournaments and they've won them all.

 

[Football Chap]

Think it would probably have to be a world class player from one of the nations that makes it to the world cup every year but doesn't have a really strong squad so that the best players play to a really old age. Bellingham and I think Gavi made their World cup debuts at the last world cup at 18/19 but imagine England and Spain will have other options when they're 38/39 whereas nations like Croatia or Belgium, assuming they qualify for 6 in a row, might keep experienced players around for longer. Would have to qualify every year and not pick up any injuries over those periods. Other option is a really world class goalkeeper comes through at one of the top nations at 18 to 20

 

[BrightonSpurs]

Easier for a keeper

 

[MemphisWill]

It will probably happen in 2026. Messi, Ronaldo, Guardado and Ochoa could all set the mark...one of those countries will give their man a ride just because. Mexico qualifies for free, are notorious for clinging onto their "big names", and are shameless attention whores...so my money is on Guardado and Ochoa both doing it in '26.

 

[Crockett]

He's played at one World Cup

He's only been selected for 3 Spain squad at Tournaments and they've won them all.

Surprised at that, he seems to have been around forever.

 

[Wellsey]

Not if he's Scottish

 

[BernardMatthews]

With more teams allowed in the World Cup and sports science meaning more outfield players are going into their 40s it’s definitely going to be sone sooner or later.

Well not that soon. The next 50 years for sure.

Happy to put a £100k bet on it happening by the 2072 World Cup.

 

[Jimmy D]

With more teams allowed in the World Cup and sports science meaning more outfield players are going into their 40s it’s definitely going to be sone sooner or later.

Well not that soon. The next 50 years for sure.

Happy to put a £100k bet on it happening by the 2072 World Cup.

Who's going to pick up your winnings in 2072?

 

[BernardMatthews]

Who's going to pick up your winnings in 2072?

Working on the basis that amount will buy me a pint of beer at the New New Tottenham Hotspur stadium - from a beer robot who dispenses the liquid into a floating pint glass.
Cost for 1 pint. £99’999.99p.

Inflation meets technological advances and all that.
The robots might have killed us all by then is the other scenario.

 

[SpaggyBoy]

In a quantum universe anything is possible. It is just a case of increasing unlikeliness.

 

[OffTheBench]

Easier for a keeper

Goalkeepers play until older yes, but it's rare for international goalies to play at world cups in the 17-22 age range. Maybe Ochoa will do it, but he didn't actually play in the 2006 WC so maybe we shouldn't count that.

 

[OffTheBench]

With more teams allowed in the World Cup and sports science meaning more outfield players are going into their 40s it’s definitely going to be sone sooner or later.

Well not that soon. The next 50 years for sure.

Happy to put a £100k bet on it happening by the 2072 World Cup.

It just needs Messi to make 1 token appearance in 3 years' time, it's hardly outlandish.