Ronaldo, Messi, Modric…: Football's Greatest Names Head to Their Last FIFA World Cup

Time, that most unforgiving of opponents, waits for no footballer. Not even the greatest ones.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on June 12 (IST) and concludes on July 20 (IST), is less than a week away. It is a tournament unlike any that has preceded it, expanded to 48 teams and stretched across three nations, the United States, Canada and Mexico, over 39 days and 104 matches.

In sheer scale, nothing in the competition's near-100-year history comes close.

Yet what lends this edition its particular emotional weight is the knowledge that a generation of footballers, men who have defined the sport for the better part of two decades, are running out of road.

When the dust settles in July, the international stage will look very different indeed. Here’s a look at some of the veterans for whom 2026 is almost certainly their last World Cup:

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo was not expected by many to even make it to this tournament. He has, and he arrives with unfinished business.

This will be his sixth World Cup appearance, a record in itself, and he carries the chance to become the first player in history to score 150 international goals. He currently stands at 143 from 226 caps.

Should Portugal lift the trophy, Ronaldo would become the oldest player ever to do so. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has never won the World Cup, and has not scored a single goal in the knockout rounds of the tournament.

For all his individual brilliance, his World Cup legacy has fallen well short of his iconic status. This is his final opportunity to change that.

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Messi will turn 39 during the tournament and arrives as the reigning champion, having led Argentina to glory against France in the 2022 final, ending the one chase that had defined and haunted his career.

Since then, he has relocated to Inter Miami, stepping away from European football and managing his body carefully in the less demanding environment of MLS.

He needs three matches to become only the third player in history to appear in 200 international games, and the odds of him featuring at the 2030 edition are virtually nil.

Questions remain over whether he can sustain his level across an expanded format in the anticipated North American heat. It would, however, be foolish to expect Messi to go quietly.

Luka Modric (Croatia)

At 40, Luka Modric is second only to Ronaldo among the oldest outfield players at this World Cup, and there is no question this is his last.

He was part of the Croatian side that reached the 2018 final and the 2022 semi-finals, and like Ronaldo, he seeks the one title that has eluded him. Three appearances would also see him join the 200-cap club.

Neymar (Brazil)

Neymar's story heading into this tournament is one of improbable survival.

Brazil's all-time leading scorer has not represented his country since tearing his ACL in October 2023, and manager Carlo Ancelotti had, for months, continued to overlook him after taking charge in September. A place at the World Cup appeared to have passed him by.

Injuries to other forwards led Ancelotti to hand Neymar a lifeline, naming the Santos attacker in his 26-man squad to scenes of wild celebration among supporters.

What role awaits the 34-year-old in North America remains to be seen, and he will first need to prove his fitness after sustaining yet another injury in the days following his call-up.

At 34, Neymar could theoretically be around for the 2030 edition, but his body has consistently undermined that hope. The thought of him remaining fit enough to feature then is, frankly, fanciful. This is his last genuine opportunity to deliver Brazil that much-coveted sixth star.

Manuel Neuer (Germany)

Manuel Neuer had retired from international football following Germany's hosting of Euro 2024.

At 40, the goalkeeper has been coaxed out of retirement and confirmed as Julian Nagelsmann's first choice for what will be his fifth World Cup. His performances for Bayern Munich this season evidently made the decision an easy one.

Neuer was part of the German side that won the 2014 World Cup, and he will be hoping to sign off with similar glory as Die Mannschaft look to avoid a third consecutive group-stage exit.

This is the 23rd edition of the World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1930. Argentina carry the defending champion's mantle. Brazil remain the most decorated nation in the competition's history.

And for a handful of extraordinary men, the curtain is almost certainly about to fall.