Last Dance: Stars Playing Their Final World Cup in 2026

# Last Dance: Stars Playing Their Final World Cup in 2026

Every generation of greats eventually takes a final bow on the sport's grandest stage. For a handful of icons, 2026 looks likely to be their last World Cup — though none has formally confirmed retirement, and we frame these as probable rather than certain farewells. Ages are verified to the tournament window. Flags fly behind each name.

The likely final acts

Lionel Messi — Forward, Argentina (Inter Miami), 38. Messi turns 39 during the tournament. He has confirmed he will be part of Argentina's squad after a 2025 MLS season in which he won back-to-back league MVP awards and the Golden Boot with 29 goals and 19 assists in 28 games, then led Inter Miami to the MLS Cup (MLS; NBC Sports). He is Argentina's leading World Cup scorer with 13 goals. Whether the defending champions can repeat is the story; this is plausibly his last World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo — Forward, Portugal (Al-Nassr), 41. Ronaldo turned 41 in February 2026 and was named in Roberto Martínez's squad for a record sixth World Cup (World Cup Pass; Olympics.com). He is the only player to have scored at five different World Cups; one more goal in North America would make it six, a record that may never be matched.

Luka Modrić — Midfielder, Croatia (AC Milan), 40. Modrić captains Croatia at 40 with close to 200 international caps and joins Messi and Ronaldo among the first men to feature at a sixth World Cup (ESPN; FOX Sports). Transfer reporting suggests he is oriented toward retiring once the tournament ends, but nothing is official.

Ángel Di María — Forward, Argentina (Benfica), 38. A scorer in the 2022 final, Di María's big-game experience and set-piece quality remain assets for Argentina if selected. At 38, 2026 would almost certainly be his last appearance on this stage.

Thomas Müller — Forward, Germany, 36. A 2014 world champion, Müller's tournament nous and intelligent movement would add invaluable know-how to a young German side should he feature. Any 2026 involvement would very likely be his final World Cup.

Sergio Busquets — Midfielder, Spain (Inter Miami), 37. Should he be recalled, the 2010 winner's positional mastery — still on display alongside Messi at club level — keeps him in the conversation. At 37, any 2026 appearance would be an unmistakable last dance.

Nicolás Otamendi — Defender, Argentina, 38. Otamendi remains a vocal leader and a regular in Argentina's back line. The veteran centre-back would be playing what is almost certainly his final World Cup at 38.

Why this matters

These are the players whose names defined a footballing era. The image of Messi and Ronaldo carrying their decade-long rivalry to a sixth World Cup, with Modrić alongside them in that exclusive club, is a milestone unlikely ever to be repeated. For Di María, Müller, Busquets and Otamendi, a deep run would be the perfect closing chapter to careers stacked with honours. None of these greats has declared this their last tournament, so we treat every appearance as a gift rather than a guarantee. If the farewells do come, savour them — football may not see a send-off quite like this again.

Sources

• MLSSoccer.com: Lionel Messi World Cup profile
• Olympics.com: Cristiano Ronaldo at the FIFA World Cup
• ESPN: Luka Modric set for 5th World Cup with Croatia
• NBC Sports: Messi eager to compete at 2026 World Cup

Not affiliated with FIFA.