Last week, we detailed ten teens preparing to dazzle at their debut FIFA World Cup™. Here, we’re looking at some of the older players who are eyeing their first crack at sport’s most famous event later this year.
Marko Arnautovic
Austria
The oldest member of the current squad, Arnautovic was nine when Herbert Prohaska led Burschen to their most recent finals at France 1998. Ten years later, the-then FC Twente youngster debuted for the national side and has made returning them to the global event his career’s work.
In the 17 years following his bow, Arnautovic has won 130 caps and plundered 47 goals – both national records – while only Erling Haaland scored more than the 36-year-old’s eight strikes during European qualifying.
Fellow national icon David Alaba is also hoping to play at his first finals, though the defender has missed more than 120 matches for club and country through injury since 2023.
Kosta Barbarouses
New Zealand
Forward Barbarouses has played in 31 World Cup qualifiers without ever touching down at the tournament itself, but that could all be about to change.
The Western Sydney Wanderers man, who sits third on the All Whites appearances list with 72, netted to double their lead in the Oceania final against New Caledonia. He then set up Elijah Just to round off the scoring, ensuring the 35-year-old still has a chance to play on global soil.
Baghdad Bounedjah
Algeria
The Fennecs haven’t played at a World Cup since 2014, and while national icon Riyad Mahrez played once in Brazil, fellow stalwart Bounedjah wasn’t included in Vahid Halilhodzic’s squad.
He spent the majority of that 12-year gap at Qatari outfit Al Sadd, where he hit 208 goals in 237 games. On the international stage, the 34-year-old sits fourth on the scoring charts with 35, and will hope to take that touch to North America this June.
Martin Boyle
Australia
Hibernian striker Boyle hasn’t had much luck in the way of major tournaments since declaring for Australia in 2018. The Scotland-born forward missed the 2019 AFC Asian Cup through injury, and while he was included in the squad for Qatar 2022, a torn anterior cruciate ligament on the eve of the finals left his World Cup dream in tatters.
He’s since dusted himself down and scored twice at the 2023 continental showpiece. The 32-year-old then contributed to five goals in six qualifiers to help secure Australia a sixth straight tournament berth.
Jean Michael Seri
Cote d’Ivoire
Not since the days of Didier Drogba and brothers Kolo and Yaya Toure have Cote d’Ivoire played in front of the world’s eyes, but an unbeaten qualifying run this time around ended a 12-year hiatus.
Midfielder Seri played in their first four preliminaries, but an ankle injury saw the 34-year-old veteran miss the back half of the campaign. He returned to action at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, as Les Éléphants reached the last eight, and he’ll be keen to play his part at the global finals.
Gustavo Gomez
Paraguay
It’s been a long wait for all of Paraguayan football to return to the World Cup, but in particular for stalwart defender Gomez.
After making a goalscoring debut in victory over Bolivia in 2013, the centre-back has played 86 times for Los Guaranies, with a huge 43 of those coming in qualifiers. Disappointment followed in his first three campaigns, but just one defeat from 12 in 2026 qualifying means the 32-year-old will captain his nation back to tournament.
Ryan Mendes
Cabo Verde
The islanders have steadily built towards their debut finals over the previous 16 years, with winger Mendes a key reason for their ascent.
He played a major role in securing a maiden AFCON appearance in 2013, with the Blue Sharks going on to make the knockout stage. Narrow misses for the World Cup in 2014 and 2022 stoked the nation’s flame, with Mendes and Co getting over the line with a heroic final-day victory over Eswatini last October.
Johny Placide
Haiti
Since 1974, Haiti had tried and failed to reach 12 successive World Cup. Veteran goalkeeper Placide was part of three of those campaigns, but things all changed this time around.
Les Grenadiers’ captain played in eight of their ten 2026 preliminaries, keeping four clean sheets as the nation finished top of Group C to end 52 years of waiting. At 37, this could be the shot-stopper’s one and only chance to play on the world stage.
Andrew Robertson
Scotland
The battle to the top of the game was long for 31-year-old Robertson, with the left-back spending his formative years across Scotland and in the English Championship, before earning a move to Liverpool in 2017. While he’s since reached the pinnacle of the club game, making it to international football’s biggest stage has proven no easy task.
Some 25 of his 90 caps – good for third on the all-time list and just 12 behind record holder Kenny Dalglish – have come in World Cup qualifiers. He and Scotland sat out Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, but finally ended their 28-year wait for a tournament appearance with their stunning 4-2 win over Denmark last November.
Eloy Room
Curaçao
Despite only becoming a FIFA member 15 years ago, Curaçao are headed for the tournament as the least-populous nation to ever play at it, with goalkeeper Room a big reason for their rise.
The 36-year-old has won 65 caps across 11 years of service with the Blue Wave, playing every minute of their bids to reach both this tournament and Qatar 2022. He kept a clean sheet in the goalless draw with Jamaica which secured their World Cup place, and sent the nation into frenzied celebration.
Eldor Shomurodov
Uzbekistan
The White Wolves are another side preparing for a maiden World Cup, and they will be spearheaded there by national hero Shomurodov.
Since making his debut aged just 20 in September 2015, the powerful forward has smashed the scoring record by netting 43 goals in 88 caps. Five of those strikes came in AFC qualifying, as Uzbekistan ensured that they, and their prolific hitman, will be at the North American party.
