Seven football legends could be having their final World Cup dance at the 2026 tournament in North America. Lionel Messi (Argentina) arrives as defending champion, while Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) has already announced that this will be his last. Others include Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Luka Modric (Croatia), Son Heung-min (South Korea), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium), and Neymar Jr (Brazil). The tournament, kicking off in under 70 days, will be the first to feature 48
Key Points:
Messi could join Ronaldo as the only six-time World Cup participants.
Modric, at 40, aims to cap his golden era with Croatia one last time.
Salah gets only his second World Cup chance at age 33.
Neymar’s participation depends on fitness after a career-threatening injury.
The tournament marks the end of a generation that defined 21st-century football.
Watch for official confirmations from Messi and Neymar on their participation, and whether any of these legends can lift the trophy in their final dance.
Sources: Soccernet, Complete Sports, Goal