As the countdown to the 2026 World Cup continues, England gears up for a friendly against Costa Rica, while also dealing with various developments, including a significant visa controversy involving Iran’s team and positive news surrounding Christian Eriksen.
Despite discussions about age, it’s noteworthy that Lionel Messi isn’t among the ten oldest players competing in the upcoming tournament. FIFA recently released a list highlighting the top 20 oldest players, showcasing the experience on the field.
The oldest player set to participate is Craig Gordon from Scotland, who is 43 years and 162 days old. Following him are:
- 2nd) Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal (41 years & 126 days)
- 3rd) Guillermo Ochoa – Mexico (40 years & 333 days)
- 4th) Luka Modric – Croatia (40 years & 275 days)
- 5th) Edin Dzeko – Bosnia and Herzegovina (40 years & 86 days)
- 6th) Manuel Neuer – Germany (40 years & 76 days)
- 7th) Vozinha – Cabo Verde (40 years & 8 days)
- 8th) Fernando Muslera – Uruguay (39 years & 360 days)
- 9th) Yuto Nagatomo – Japan (39 years & 272 days)
- 10th) Hernan Galindez – Ecuador (39 years & 73 days)
The ages listed are accurate as of June 11, 2026. While Roger Milla held the record at 42 during the 1994 World Cup, the oldest player title is claimed by Essam El Hadary, who was 45 years and 161 days during the 2018 tournament.
This World Cup marks Messi’s 39th year, and although the last tournament seemed like a fitting conclusion for his illustrious career, there may still be more to his story, according to Jonathan Wilson.
In a separate update, Denmark’s national team doctor, Morten Boesen, has shared reassuring news about Christian Eriksen following his collapse during a friendly against Ukraine.
“I spoke with Christian this morning, and he is doing well. He is with his family and in good spirits. The expectation is that he will be discharged soon and can return home,” Boesen posted on Instagram.
Eriksen himself has expressed gratitude by sharing the update. Meanwhile, England’s Declan Rice has been appointed vice-captain by manager Thomas Tuchel. Rice was part of the Arsenal group that joined the England camp in West Palm Beach after a brief recovery period following their Champions League commitments.
Tuchel remains uncertain about the participation of Rice, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, and Bukayo Saka in the upcoming friendly against Costa Rica.
Harry Kane has downplayed fears regarding players struggling in the heat, stating, “The drinks breaks help. A lot of people talk about the heat but I don’t think it will be as big a factor as people say. Myself and a few of the boys felt fine in the first game. We’ve been training in it and it’s not been too bad.”
With just a week to go before England’s Group L opener against Croatia, scheduled for June 17, 2026, David Hytner reports on the team’s preparations. The starting lineup appears to include Jordan Pickford, Reece James, Marc Guéhi, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Bukayo Saka, and Harry Kane, although questions remain about Jude Bellingham’s place over Morgan Rogers.
The focus shifts to Argentina, the defending champions, as they prepare for the World Cup. The squad retains two-thirds of their 2022 lineup, complemented by emerging talents like Nico Paz, who has impressed at Como, along with seasoned players such as Lautaro Martínez, aiming to achieve peak fitness this time around.
In a recent friendly, Argentina triumphed 2-0 over Honduras, with Martinez scoring from the penalty spot. Messi was absent from this match to rest after experiencing muscle fatigue in his hamstring during a game for Inter Miami on May 24.
Concerning Eriksen’s health, his recent collapse during Denmark’s friendly has raised alarms, especially given his past cardiac arrest incident in 2021. The quick response from medical personnel was crucial, and the match was halted early.
“He was briefly unconscious but regained consciousness very quickly … and walked off the pitch by himself,” said Boesen.
After his cardiac incident in 2021, Eriksen received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, which has allowed him to return to both club and international football.
On a positive note for Spain, it seems that concerns regarding Lamine Yamal’s availability for the initial group matches may be overstated. The 18-year-old Barcelona winger missed the final six games of the season due to a hamstring injury but is reportedly recovering well.
“He’s getting better fast, hitting all the targets earlier. I think he’ll be able to play the first game, but that doesn’t mean [he will]. We’ll evaluate if he has to play a little bit, not play, wait for the second game,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.
Meanwhile, Iran’s national team has arrived in Mexico, facing a diplomatic crisis as some support staff were denied visas by the United States. After a three-week training camp in Turkey, the players finally secured their US visas just before departure, but concerns linger for fifteen members of the administrative team.
All of Iran’s Group G matches will occur in the U.S., and reports indicate that the team must enter and exit the U.S. on the same day as their games, adding to the tension surrounding their participation.
Iran’s football federation has criticized the situation as “political interference in sport at its worst.”
As the World Cup approaches, excitement builds with just three days and eleven hours until the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday at 8 PM UK time, kicking off 104 matches over the course of 39 days. The window for personal errands is rapidly closing as fans prepare for the tournament.
The buildup to the World Cup continues, analyzing England’s previous match against New Zealand and anticipating their friendly against Costa Rica, while more news and features about the tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, alongside Scotland’s unexpected performance against Bolivia, and updates on Spain’s Lamine Yamal, are forthcoming.
