Which iconic footballers are playing in their last World Cup? Learn which legends of the game will be saying goodbye to the global tournament this summer.
The World Cup has hosted some of the greatest players of all time, giving them a platform to demonstrate their talents for many years. Some of these legends have been able to showcase their elite abilities for several tournaments, but now their time on the global stage is coming to an end.
This blog will delve into the superstars and iconic players that are going to be attending their final World Cup this summer. Read below as we discuss these players in depth, talking about their World Cup pedigree, special moments, and the footballing ability that they have shown us over the years!
Or, if you think these swansong stars will lead by example, explore the latest World Cup betting odds for all the matches.
Who will make their final World Cup appearances this summer?
The list below contains some more obvious names, with a few being widely considered as more memorable and integral to the competition’s history, but each deserves a special mention.
Lionel Messi
A player who is now synonymous with the World Cup, Lionel Messi is a name that just cannot be included anywhere other than the top of the list. Winning the previous tournament in 2022, Messi completed his long-standing mission of achieving global glory and overcame the disappointment of his 2014 final loss to Germany.
The Argentine legend needs no real introduction and is one of the best players that the competition has ever seen. Throughout the five tournaments he has attended, he has become the player with the most World Cup appearances and has had many iconic goals and moments. This includes an assist against Croatia in the 2022 semi-final and his two goals against France in the 2022 final. Moments like these are exactly why he was awarded the Golden Ball in both 2014 and 2022.
It will be interesting to see if he can produce any more moments of magic in his final appearance at the competition in the summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Another player who is globally renowned in the footballing world is Cristiano Ronaldo and he’s also set to attend his final tournament. The Portuguese attacker, though never winning the World Cup, has certainly created some spectacular moments that have written him into the competition’s history.
Like Messi, Ronaldo has also appeared in five separate World Cups ahead of the summer and will make a joint-record sixth when he attends this summer. His iconic moments include a group stage hat-trick against Spain in the 2018 tournament and a last-gasp winner against Ghana in 2014 to send Portugal through to the knockouts.
Though he’s now 41, Ronaldo could still affect Portugal’s trajectory at the upcoming tournament, making an impact as and when he is needed.
Luka Modric
As Croatia’s best-ever World Cup player and captain, Luka Modric will hope to make some special final memories at the 2026 tournament to create an unforgettable farewell. The 41-year-old AC Milan midfielder will be wanting to go a step further than he achieved in 2018 when he lost the final 4-2 to France.
With a recent history of deep tournament runs after also reaching the semi-final in 2022, Modric can hope to replicate similar, if not slightly better, form.
The Croatian midfield maestro added the Golden Ball to his trophy cabinet in 2018 and has demonstrated stunning strikes, such as his goal against Argentina in the 2018 group stage. Modric can only hope to end his glittering World Cup career on a poetic and positive note.
Neymar
Though many expected the 2022 World Cup to have been his last given his injuries in recent years, Carlo Ancelotti has called him up to the national team for one last dance.
Historically, Neymar has been Brazil’s main man, scoring goals, creating chances, and being a wizard with the ball at his feet.
He’s consistently been able to prove this throughout his time in the competition as well. In his first tournament appearance in 2014, he managed to score four goals in the five games he played before injury. He then followed this up with two more goals in Brazil’s 2018 run to the quarter-finals, before netting a brilliant solo goal against Croatia in the 2022 quarter-final match.
Playing in the Brazilian Serie A – and given his injury record – Neymar isn’t on the level that he once was, but it doesn’t mean he hasn’t got anything to contribute. If he can reach a fraction of his previous star abilities (even just briefly) he can make an impact one final time.
Manuel Neuer
A winner of the 2014 World Cup, Manuel Neuer is one of the greatest goalkeepers to have ever played at the tournament. Previously retired from international football, Neuer looked like he may never return to the competition again. A change of heart, however, has given him one final opportunity to play for Germany at the age of 39.
Arguably his best World Cup performance came in the round of 16 game against Algeria, where he managed to intercept the ball on many occasions to help Germany to a 2-1 win in extra-time. Pairing this with vital saves in a 2-1 victory over Sweden in 2018, he’s helped to revolutionise the goalkeeping position.
With Hugo Lloris now retired from international football, Manuel Neuer can overtake him as the goalkeeper with the most appearances at the tournament. He only needs one more to level the record and two to break it!
Kevin De Bruyne
Belgium have often been touted as one of the favourites to win the World Cup given the fact they’ve had something of a ‘Golden Generation’ over the last couple of tournaments. This, in part, is due to the brilliance of players such as Kevin De Bruyne himself, who have established themselves as some of the best in their position.
His debut tournament in 2014 featured him making large contributions to Belgium’s progression to the quarter-finals such as an equaliser against Algeria in a 2-1 victory and a goal and an assist for a 2-1 win over the USA in the round of 16. Notably, he also made an outstanding pass to Eden Hazard to seal a 2-0 win over England in the 2018 third-place playoff match.
Despite coming to the twilight of his career as he plays for Napoli in the Serie A, De Bruyne may have enough left to make some special moments like he has done before as he still retains much of his creative abilities.
Mohamed Salah
Egypt’s talisman Mohamed Salah will no doubt be their star man at the upcoming tournament. As his nation’s joint-top World Cup scorer, Salah will also want to take the record for himself whilst helping his side to progress in the competition.
His 2018 tournament was his most outstanding to date, as he netted both of his goals in games against Saudi Arabia and Russia. Despite losing each match, his goal against Saudi Arabia was an impressive chip that’s remembered as an individual moment of brilliance.
Though coming off a sub-par season with his club, Liverpool, Salah has still shown he’s more than capable of taking a game into his own hands and coming up with decisive moments – something he’ll hope to do one last time.
Sadio Mane
Al-Nassr forward and former Liverpool winger Sadio Mane is another who will be heading to his final World Cup in 2026. The 34-year-old has been included in the Senegal squad and will want to extend his lead as the nation’s all-time leading goalscorer.
Despite only featuring at the 2018 World Cup so far – due to missing out in 2022 through injury – Mane played every minute during that competition, scoring the opener against Japan in a 2-2 draw.
His time in the Premier League showed he’s more than capable of ripping apart any defence and, despite playing in Saudi Arabia, he’ll be trying to prove he’s still got what it takes to play on the biggest stage.
Virgil van Dijk
Despite only playing in one World Cup prior to the 2026 edition, Virgil van Dijk will be playing in his last tournament this year. The 34-year-old Dutchman will be hungry to achieve what his nation has never done before – win the tournament.
He was ever-present at the back in 2022, helping the Netherlands to progress into the quarter-finals, where they lost only on penalties to the eventual winners, Argentina. His commanding leadership and ability to read the game are some of his strongest qualities and are exactly why he’s still playing top level football at his age.
With other players having developed since playing at the 2022 World Cup, Van Dijk is more than capable of leading his team to something special in his final outing.
Son Heung-min
Despite leaving Tottenham for the MLS at the end of the 2024/25 season, Son Heung-min is set to lead the line for South Korea one last time at the 2026 World Cup.
His 2014 maiden tournament saw him score his first goal against Algeria and consistently trouble the opposition defence throughout his appearances. His highlight to date is, no doubt, the late stunner that he whipped into the back of the net against Mexico in 2018, despite losing the game 2-1.
Son is currently level with the record for the most World Cup goals by a South Korean player, but with one more he can tie Keisuke Honda for the record by an Asian player. His plan will surely be to use this as extra motivation to push his nation to a similar level they reached at their home tournament in 2002.
Honourable mentions
Now that we’ve covered some big-name legends, let’s cover a few other players who aren’t necessarily recognised as World Cup legends or haven’t had the tournament legacy as others have. Each player listed below does, however, deserve a mention for their contributions to club or country.
Guillermo Ochoa
Though he’s not necessarily achieved anything of recognition throughout his time at the World Cup, Ochoa has become something of a cult hero. Turning 41 during the 2026 tournament, Ochoa will be featuring in a sixth World Cup this summer – joining Messi and Ronaldo and becoming the only three players to do so.
Despite being a starter in the last three tournaments, there’s potential he’ll be just a backup this time around. With Mexico as co-hosts, though, Ochoa will be hoping to get a good send-off from his home fans.
Edin Dzeko
40-year-old Edin Dzeko is still playing and contributing to his national team, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Most notably, he recently scored a goal in the World Cup qualifying match against Wales to help his team to qualify for this year’s tournament.
His only other outing at the World Cup came 12 years ago in Brazil 2014. The Bosnian striker scored the opener against Iran in the nation’s only win in the competition, with the game ending 3-1. Dzeko can hope to add to his goal tally and impress once more as he reaches the end of his football career.
Ivan Perisic
Former Spurs and Inter Milan player Ivan Perisic will be joining Luka Modric in the Croatian squad for the 2026 tournament. Though being somewhat in Modric’s shadow, Perisic has played an integral part to Croatia’s recent deep tournament runs as well by making an impact on his own.
With six goals in his 17 appearances, he’s proven he can find the net in every tournament he’s played in to date. Combining this with his efforts defensively as well, he can try and bring his all-round abilities with him once more in the summer. And, with three more appearances, he can also join the list of players with the most World Cup appearances.
Andy Robertson
The 32-year-old Scottish captain will be heading to his first and last World Cup this summer, after beating Denmark in the playoff final to qualify.
After moving from Hull to Liverpool in 2017, Robertson was able to become one of the best attacking left-backs in the world. He’ll bring many qualities to Scotland’s team, such as leadership, attacking output, and defensive stability. Now at the end of his Liverpool career and ahead of his move to Tottenham, Robertson will be looking to make his nation proud in their first World Cup for nearly 30 years.
