Seven Football Legends Set for Their Final World Cup Farewell

Seven goodbyes football fans must prepare for ahead of World Cup 2026

The 2026 World Cup could be the final gathering of football’s ageing royalty. For a generation of fans, these seven stars have defined the international game, but next summer may represent their final opportunity to leave a lasting mark on football’s grandest stage. There are only five days remaining until the best competition on the…

Isabelle Martin

June 6, 2026

8–12 minutes

Cristiano Ronaldo, FEATURES, football, Lionel Messi, Manuel Neuer, Neymar, World Cup, World Cup 2026

There are only five days remaining until the best competition on the planet gets underway. The 2026 World Cup promises to deliver drama, history and the emergence of football’s next generation of stars.

However, the bittersweet nature of any major international tournament is that, despite the excitement and incredible stories that come out of it, you can never escape a farewell.

This World Cup could be the final gathering of football’s ageing royalty. Some of the best to ever play the game will be taking to the world’s biggest stage for one last time, and fans must savour every moment while they still can.

While the hype surrounding the new starlets bursting onto the scene often gets the most headlines, World Cups are also moments to appreciate the players who have defined previous eras. More than once, fans have only realised the significance of a farewell after it had already happened.

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Take 2018 for example, a World Cup summer where the eyes of the world were mesmerised by 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe. The teenager’s talent stole the attention of football fans everywhere.

Little did they know, in all their infatuation with the French wonderkid, they had missed Andres Iniesta’s and Mesut Ozil’s final matches on the international stage.

Most recently, during Euro 2024, 16-year-old Lamine Yamal shocked the continent, leading Spain to a European Championship. Again though, in all that delight, you probably missed Toni Kroos was playing his final match for Germany. Whether you admit it or not, you probably took those moments for granted.

This summer will be no different, they’ll be young talent galore announcing themselves on the global stage. By no means am I suggesting ignoring those players and the feats they achieve throughout the tournament, far from it.

But perhaps it would be wise to enjoy the last of your heroes from previous World Cups. The players who made you fall in love with the game are about to say goodbye. Remember that.

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Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal – 41 years old

20 years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo played in his first World Cup. Fast forward to 2026, and that dazzling 21-year-old is now 41 and set to become the first-ever player to appear in six editions of the tournament.

In Germany 2006, with the number 17 on his back, Ronaldo scored his first World Cup goal on his way to helping his country reach the semi-finals. The World Cup remains the biggest title to have eluded him, but with a young and exciting squad behind him, this could be the perfect send-off.

Portugal matches: Wednesday 17 June vs DR Congo (6PM BST) | Tuesday 23 June vs Uzbekistan (6PM BST) | Sunday 28 June vs Colombia (12:30AM BST)

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Lionel Messi – Argentina – 38 years old

How could you mention Ronaldo without mentioning his career-long rival Lionel Messi? The two come as a collective; one cannot be spoken about without the other. Their level of greatness doesn’t exist without each other; they told us that themselves.

Messi earned his crowning moment in Qatar after a tournament in which he netted seven goals in seven matches, as well as providing three assists.

In an ideal world, if the Football Gods really do exist, the pair will face off one last time in the knockout stages. If both Argentina and Portugal finish top of their groups and win their round of 32 and round of 16 fixtures, then Ronaldo and Messi will collide in a mouth-watering quarter-final.

They will also meet in the quarter-finals if both sides finish the group stage in second place before winning their subsequent knockout games.

Argentina matches: Wednesday 17 June vs Algeria (2AM BST) | Monday 22 June vs Austria (6PM BST) | Sunday 28 June vs Jordan (3AM BST)

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James Rodriguez – Colombia – 34 years old

Even the absence of Messi would not be the only reminder that football’s golden generation is nearing its conclusion. One player who captured a generation in an instant was Colombia’s James Rodriguez.

In 2014, Rodriguez lit the pitch alight at just 22 years old. His legendary World Cup campaign saw him score six goals, provide two assists, win the Golden Boot and the Puskas award.

While his unforgettable World Cup campaign turned him into the face of Colombia’s golden generation overnight, this next player has spent more than a decade carrying the hopes of an entire nation.

Colombia matches: Thursday 18 June vs Uzbekistan (3AM BST) | Wednesday 24 June vs DR Congo (3AM BST) | Sunday 28 June vs Portugal (12:30AM BST)

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Luka Modric – Croatia – 40 years old

Luka Modric has had a significant impact on Croatia and was awarded the Golden Ball for his stellar performances during the 2018 World Cup. The midfielder later won the Balon d’Or for his form that year with both his country and Real Madrid.

Modric is renowned for his elegant playmaking, intelligence and vision. He has been the heartbeat of Croatia’s midfield since 2006, consistently performing on the highest stages. This summer, he’ll be playing in his fifth World Cup and likely his last as one of the oldest players at the tournament.

From the magician who inspired Croatia’s greatest generation, we move to the prince who never became King.

Croatia matches: Wednesday 17 June vs England (9PM BST) | Wednesday 24 June vs Panama (12AM BST) | Saturday 27 June vs Ghana (10PM BST)

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Neymar – Brazil – 34 years old

When anyone speaks about Neymar, there is almost always an audible sigh. The man destined to take the torch from Messi and Ronaldo, only to never quite reach the heights expected of him.

Neymar’s first World Cup was in 2014, when a devastating broken back injury cut his impressive campaign short. In Russia 2018, he suffered a broken foot and in Qatar 2022, he missed several games with an ankle injury.

Injuries stained his career, but Carlo Ancelotti has given Neymar one last chance. The 34-year-old was diagnosed with a ⁠Grade 2 muscle strain in his right calf last week but could return to training if he receives a positive MRI scan result.

For all of Neymar’s flair and individual skill, World Cups are often remembered for those who deliver when the pressure is greatest.

Brazil matches: Saturday 13 June vs Morocco (11PM BST) | Saturday 20 June vs Haiti (1:30AM BST) | Wednesday 24 June vs Scotland (11PM BST)

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Manuel Neuer – Germany – 40 years old

Few players have delivered under pressure better than Manuel Neuer, whose revolutionary goalkeeping redefined what was expected from the position.

It says a lot that when a goalkeeper has a great game, it is known as playing ‘like prime Neuer’.

The 40-year-old shot-stopper made his World Cup debut in 2010 against South Africa, keeping a clean sheet in a 4-0 win. He went on to win the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and was awarded the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper of the tournament. He later captained the national team and appeared in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Neuer originally retired from international football after Euro 2024. However, manager Julian Nagelsmann successfully convinced the 40-year-old goalkeeper to come out of retirement for one final hurrah at the 2026 World Cup.

Germany games: Sunday 14 June vs Curacao (6PM BST) | Saturday 20 June vs Ivory Coast (9PM BST) | Thursday 25 June vs Ecuador (9PM BST)

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Guillermo Ochoa – Mexico – 40 years old

Unlike Neuer, whose international legacy is built on silverware and success, Guillermo Ochoa’s World Cup story has been defined by moments rather than medals.

Yet for generations of football fans, few sights have become as familiar as the Mexican goalkeeper with that curly hair pulling off some spectacular stops between the sticks. Ochoa is ingrained in World Cup folklore, and perhaps his goodbye will be different from any other.

He is by no means the best goalkeeper on the planet; he’s not really even in a top 10 conversation. But he has been a constant figure in this tournament since his debut in 2006 against Cameroon. He is an icon who will undoubtedly be missed by many football fans around the globe.

Mexico matches: Thursday 11 June vs South Africa (8PM BST) | Friday 19 June vs South Korea (2AM BST) | Thursday 25 June vs Czechia (2AM BST)

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Although only seven players have been mentioned, there are plenty more waiting in the wings to play their final matches on the international stage in North America. Casemiro, Harry Kane, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah are amongst a wide range of veteran talent at the 2026 World Cup.

While the future of football will always capture the imagination, the sport’s biggest names deserve a fitting send-off before the curtain finally falls on their international careers.

So, this summer, before we get carried away with the incredible talent of Germany’s Lennart Karl or 17-year-old Gilberto Silva, let’s all try to take a moment to appreciate the players whose last dance beckons on the biggest stage of all.

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Written by Isabelle Martin

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