The full squads of all 48 teams for the 2026 World Cup across the US, Canada and Mexico have been officially announced, marking an unprecedented milestone in the nearly century-long history of the World Cup. FIFA’s official squad list confirms that this tournament features the first three players ever to compete at six World Cups: icons Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Guillermo Ochoa.
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo stands out among the trio. Making his World Cup debut at Germany 2006, he has never missed a single World Cup finals all the way to the 2026 edition. He holds a unique football record of scoring in five consecutive World Cups; another goal this time would extend this legendary streak, cementing his status as an ageless football icon. Across two decades of World Cup campaigns, Ronaldo has evolved from a promising youngster to a veteran star, consistently performing at football’s highest stage.
Lionel Messi will turn 39 during the tournament and also completes six World Cup appearances. He first stepped onto the World Cup pitch as a young substitute in 2006, before leading Argentina to World Cup glory at Qatar 2022. His 26 World Cup matches remain an unbroken record. As the skipper of defending champions Argentina, with 13 World Cup goals to his name, Messi sets his sights on breaking Miroslav Klose’s all-time scoring record of 16 goals. Unlike Ronaldo’s consistent goals every World Cup, Messi’s six tournament journeys have been full of ups and downs, filled with heartache and triumphs, embodying the youth of countless football fans.
Far less famous than the iconic Messi-Ronaldo duo, 40-year-old Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is the underrated legend of this historic trio. Nicknamed “Mexico’s Wu Zhenyu” by fans, this North American football veteran has also made six World Cup rosters, becoming the first goalkeeper in history to achieve this feat. Ochoa’s story is one of relentless perseverance: he was selected for Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010 but never took to the pitch. Yet he stayed loyal to Mexico’s national side, fought through setbacks to lock down the starting goalkeeper spot, and with extreme self-discipline and consistent form, set a new benchmark for goalkeepers at the World Cup.
Beyond the three six-time World Cup veterans, Modric, Manuel Neuer and Yuto Nagatomo are three more legends who have featured at five World Cups, forming a squad of football’s evergreen stars. Throughout the World Cup’s hundred-year history, few tournaments have gathered so many veteran legends. Amid an era flooded with young talents and rapid squad turnover, the dedication of these ageing greats creates the most touching exclusive highlight of the 2026 World Cup.