10/06/2026

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WEDNESDAY • 10th JUNE 2026

The old generation Why Messi, Ronaldo and the rest of the old guard just can’t say goodbye Ű BY RICHARD JOLLY

He has earned – or received, anyway – a recall for his fourth World Cup, even if he may be a fringe figure. For the captain Casemiro, this should be a third and last World Cup. Among defensive midfielders. N’Golo Kante is now France’s resident old-timer; a World Cup winner in 2018, absent through injury in 2022, he used to do the running of two men. At 35, his task is to keep on running. France beat Belgium in the 2018 semifinal. The golden generation have become the olden generation, but some of them are still going: Axel Witsel, at 37, Kevin de Bruyne, who will turn 35 before the round of 32, and Romelu Lukaku, a rather old 33. Another 2018 semifinalist still going is Jordan Henderson, who could become the first Englishman to play in four World Cups; in his case, the expansion in the size of squads may help. Henderson will turn 36 during the tourna ment, his former Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk 35. The centreback, who has only played in one previous World Cup, is among those trying to make up for lost time. So, too, Mohamed Salah, who was semi-fit in 2018, while Egypt did not qualify in 2022. For Sadio Mane, 34 now, it may be a fare well to the global stage.

Rossi or Cruyff won 50 caps. Modric, though, has taken Croatia to unex pected heights after his 30th birthday. He is joined in the squad by Ivan Perisic, a 2018 final scorer and a man nearer 200 caps than 100. For James Rodriguez, national hero status stems from the 2014 World Cup, when the flair player won the Golden Ball. He was club-less earlier this year. He has had a short-term deal with Minnesota United, but retained a promi nence in his country’s colours. Neymar seemed to feel the 2014 World Cup was destined to be his tournament. He has

erans who just carry on. Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff and Bobby Moore last appeared in the World Cup in their twenties. Now there is a sizeable group in their late thirties or, in select cases, in their forties. Messi overhauled Lothar Matthaus’ record of 25 World Cup appearances. The great German was one of four players – three of them Mexican – to take the field in five tourna ments. Messi and Ronaldo, ever presents since 2006, will make it six; Luka Modric surely would have joined them in that group, except that Croatia failed to qualify in 2010.

I T SEEMED the perfect goodbye. Lionel Messi had scored two goals in a World Cup final, a third in the shootout. He had emulated Diego Maradona by lifting the World Cup as Argentina captain. He had been named player of the tournament and man of the match in the final. He had completed foot ball. It looked a decidedly imperfect goodbye. The supposed Goat was reduced to the status of Portugal’s 12th man; or 13th, given that a substitute came on at the same time as Joao Cancelo. Cristiano Ronaldo was dropped for the knockout stages, seeing his replacement Goncalo Ramos score a hattrick in the 6-1 thrashing by Switzerland and being unable to rescue Portugal as they went out 1-0 to Morocco. He had become the first man ever to score in five World Cups, but none of those goals were in the knockout stages. Messi’s eventual triumph seemed to end an argument about which of them was the greatest; only Ronaldo fanboys could disagree now. And yet, four years

since taken Pele’s record as the Selecao ’s record scorer

but not the prize that would really cement greatness.

But the 2018 Golden Ball win ner, who turns 41 in September, should win his 200th cap in the

USA. Ronaldo already is a double centurion. In dif ferent times, none of Geoff Hurst, Mario Kempes, Paolo

For Edin Dzeko, Bosnia’s qualifica tion gives the 40-year-old a surprise return, 12 years after his last World Cup. Others are propelled by memories of 2014. Even for those who have conquered the footballing world, the chance to do so again can be seductive. Manuel Neuer has rescinded his international retirement to take his place in the Germany goal, making him the last of the 2014 winners still going. For past champions, there is the risk it is a tournament too far. Nicolas Otamendi is 38 now. He won his 100th cap in the 2022 final, which could have offered an opportunity to take his leave. Instead, he is still going. As, inevitably, are some of the Mexicans. Raul Jimenez is set for his fourth World Cup. The 40 year-old goalkeeper

later, they are back, each set for a sixth World Cup. The Argentinian will turn 39 during the tournament. The Portuguese is already 41. But the United States has been a geron tocracy of late, its two oldest presi dents being the two most recent. Now the aged will not just be found in the corridors of power, but on the footballing fields. The 2026 World Cup should be the last for a veteran group, even if 2022 had appeared to be. Careers have been pro longed by some combina tion of sports science, diet, motivation, money, unfin ished business, football associations in thrall to their biggest names, gov erning bodies who wipe away suspensions and vet

Guillermo Ochoa is in the squad for a sixth. It would put him alongside Messi and Ronaldo, even if he is unlikely to attract as much attention as the men stretching their rivalry into a third dec ade. – The Independent

FROM LEFT TOP: Messi, Modric, Neuer, Salah and Ronaldo. CENTRE: Lukaku and Casemiro. BOTTOM: Dzeko, Ochoa, N’Golo Kante and Van Dijk.

PREVIEW GROUP I

Title favourites & dark horses

p 26 & 27 PREVIEW GROUP J

p 28 & 29

p 30 A rip-off for fans

p 31

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