Less than a week is left before the 2022 World Cup kicks off in Qatar, and excitement is starting to build up. It’s likely that it will be the last dance for many of our generational heroes. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will appear in their fifth World Cup, which might be their last. Both have yet to win the World Cup despite being among the greatest players of all time.
We have created a list of players that might play their last World Cup. This makes things even more interesting because these players will see this as their last shot to conquer the world.
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Messi made his first World Cup appearance in 2006 and has played at every World Cup since then. The World Cup in Qatar will be his fifth. Despite being one of the greatest of all time, Messi couldn’t lift the World Cup trophy with Argentina. The PSG forward has played 19 matches and has scored six goals at the FIFA World Cup, all of which were in the group stage. His best result at the World Cup was as runner-up in 2014 when Germany defeated Argentina after extra time. Besides being the top scorer for his team in 2014, Messi won the Golden Ball award for being the best player in the tournament.
After scoring against Nigeria at the World Cup in 2018, Messi became the first player to score in his teens, twenties and thirties.
Lionel Messi will be 35 years old when the World Cup in Qatar starts. Will he finally lift the World Cup at possibly his last tournament with Argentina?
Age: 35
World Cups: 4
Games: 19
Goals: 6
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Ronaldo also made his World Cup debut in 2006 and has played at every World Cup since then. CR7 has seven goals in 17 appearances. His best achievement with Portugal was at his World Cup debut, when Portugal reached the semi-finals. While Ronaldo had a difficult start to the season at Manchester United, there’s no doubt he will lead Portugal as Captain at the World Cup.
The Portuguese forward is the all-time top scorer of his country and has the most international goals for a country ever, 117 at the time of writing.
Portugal has been drawn into Group H, a group with Ghana, Uruguay and the Korean Republic. Portugal is seen as the favourite to win the group.
Ronaldo told Bein Sports that he expects that the World Cup in Qatar will be his last. A win at the World Cup win would be the ultimate crown at his blinding CV.
World Cups: 4
Age: 37
Games: 17
Goals: 7
Luis Suarez (Uruguay)
The Uruguayan striker will play his fourth World Cup. In total, he played 13 games, and he scored seven goals. One of his most memorable moments was at the World Cup against Ghana; after 120 minutes, Suarez made a save with his hand, which cost him a red card. Ghana received a penalty but missed it. Uruguay won after the penalties.
At the 2014 World Cup, Suarez came into disrepute again. In the last group match, he bit Italian defender Chiellini. The referee didn’t see it, and Suarez could play the match until the final whistle. After that match, he was suspended, and Colombia defeated Uruguay.
At the 2018 World Cup, held in Russia, Suarez played all of the games that Uruguay attended. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to France.
World Cups: 3
Age: 35
Games: 13
Goals: 7
Neymar (Brazil)
Neymar will play his third World Cup for Brazil. The number 10 from Brazil has played ten games at the biggest sports tournament in the World and scored six times. The World Cup in 2014, which was held in Brazil, started as a great tournament for Neymar. He scored four goals in the group stage. Later the tournament ended dramatically for Neymar and his home country. Neymar his tournament ended in the quarter-finals when a Colombian defender barged into his back. He was two centimetres away from not being able to walk anymore. Brazil reached the semi-finals but was slaughtered by Germany 7-1.
Brazil remained undefeated in their World Cup qualification campaign. Because of this form, Brazil is currently number 1 in the FIFA Men’s World Rankings and one of the favourites to win the World Cup in Qatar.
Neymar may be a big surprise in this list because he is only 29. However, in an exclusive interview with DAZN, he said that this would be his last because of the mental strain football has inflicted upon him.
World Cups: 2
Age: 30
Games: 10
Goals: 6
Luka Modrić (Croatia)
The Croatian midfielder made his World Cup debut in 2006 but missed the 2010 edition of the World Cup because Croatia wasn’t qualified. He played a total of 13 games and scored twice. Modrić’s best achievement with Croatia is leading them to the World Cup final in 2018. Modrić captained Croatia in that tournament and took them to the final. In 2018 Croatia won all their group games and finished first. They won the round of 16 against Denmark and the quarter-final against Russia, both after penalties. They defeated England in the semi-final after extra time. France was the opponent to beat in the final. Croatia lost 4-2. Despite losing the World Cup final against France, Modrić was voted the tournament’s best player. This resulted in winning the Golden Ball for the first time in his career.
World Cups: 3
Age: 37
Games: 12
Goals: 2
Thomas Müller (Germany)
At his first World Cup held in South Africa, the Bayern Munich forward managed to score five times and followed it up with another five strikes four years later in Brazil to take his tally at the World Cup to double digits. Müller helped Germany with his five goals to the final, where they defeated Argentina 1-0.
But at the 2018 World Cup, Muller and his beloved Germany crashed out before the knockout stages as the Bayern Munich player failed to score.
In total, Müller played 16 matches and scored ten goals. That means every goal that Müller scores in Qatar would take him past the legends of the game. Muller is joint seventh, along with illustrious names such as Gary Lineker, Gabriel Batistuta, Grzegorz Lato, Teofilo Cubillas and compatriot Helmut Rahn ahead of the opening day in Qatar.
One strike at the World Cup in Qatar will place him alongside his boyhood hero, Jurgen Klinsmann and Hungarian Sandor Kocsis, who have 11 goals to their name each.
World Cups: 3
Age: 33
Games: 16
Goals: 10
Jordi Alba (Spain)
The Spanish defender will appear at his third World Cup this winter. He played a total of seven games on the biggest stage. Alba made his debut for Spain in 2011 and won the Euros in 2012. Due to the absence of Sergio Busquets, Alba was given the captaincy at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Alba played every minute for Spain. This World Cup was a disappointment; Spain was knocked out at the group stage. Just like the 2014 World Cup, the 2018 World Cup was disappointing. Spain reached the last 16 but lost after a penalty shootout against Russia.
World Cups: 2
Age: 33
Games: 7
Goals: 0
Pepe (Portugal
Pepe was born in Brazil, but he never represented them. Pepe played eight games over 3 World Cups; in those eight games, he scored one time. He made his World Cup debut in 2010, where he played Portugal’s last two games.
At the World Cup in 2014, he received a red card after 37 minutes into his first game due to a headbutt he gave to Thomas Müller. They ended as third in the group stage, so they didn’t reach the next round.
In 2018 Portugal reached the round of 16. In that round, they played against Uruguay. Pepe scored the equalizer, but Edison Cavani scored the winning goal 7 minutes later. Pepe won the Euro 2014 but never passed the last 16 at a World Cup.
World Cups: 3
Age: 39
Games: 8
Goals: 1
Thiago Silva (Brazil)
The Brazilian defender will appear at his fourth World Cup in Qatar. Silva is expected to wear the captain’s armband at the World Cup. Silva was an unused squad member at the finals in 2010, but he was the captain four years later when Brazil hosted. In the 2014 quarter-finals, he scored against Colombia, which helped them reach the semi-finals. In this semi-final, Germany defeated them, and it ended 7-1. In the 2018 World Cup, Brazil reached the quarter-finals but was beaten by Belgium. Silva scored in this tournament against Serbia.
World Cups: 3
Age: 38
Games: 11
Goals: 2
Dani Alves (Brazil)
Alves made his World Cup debut in 2010, where he played every game until they lost against the Netherlands in the quarter-final. The next World Cup, which was held in his home country, was disappointing for the right back. After the round of 16, he lost his position due to bad performances. He missed the 2018 World Cup after he got injured in the Coupe de France final. The Brazilian defender will play his third World Cup, and with his 39 years, he will be one of the most experienced players at the tournament. Dani Alves is the most decorated player in football history, with 46 titles. He won everything he could achieve at club level but never won the World Cup with his nation.
World Cups: 2
Age: 39
Games: 9
Goals: 0
Manuel Neuer (Germany)
The German goalkeeper will appear at his fourth World Cup in Qatar. He made his debut in 2010 when they finished third. In 2014 Germany became World Champion after they defeated Argentina in the final. At the 2018 World Cup, Germany was knocked out after the group stage.
The World Cup winner from 2014 played 16 games at the World Cup. In those 16 games, he managed to keep seven clean sheets. Thanks to his performances at the World Cup 2014 Neuer ended third in the Ballon d’Or list in 2014.
World Cups: 3
Age: 36
Games: 16
Goals: 0
