The 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, with less than three months to go until it kicks off. It will be the first World Cup for rising stars such as Lamine Yamal, Estevão, and João Neves.
However, it is also likely to feature figures who are already World Cup legends, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Their iconic status is underscored by the fact that 20 years ago, around this same time, they were playing for their clubs while already gearing up to make their mark at the 2006 World Cup.
Let’s take a look at which players from that tournament in Germany are still active in football today. As it turns out, there aren’t many left.
Lionel Messi, 38 years old, Argentina
2006 World Cup Stats: 3 matches, 1 goal, 1 assist
Probability of participating in the 2026 World Cup: high
Current club: Inter Miami
The greatest footballer in the history of the sport seemed to have closed the book on his World Cup journey after helping Argentina lift the trophy in 2022. But since then, even as Messi has grown older, his national team continues to rely on him.
In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, he recorded 8 goals and 3 assists, despite missing some matches, either due to injury or because the coaching staff chose not to overburden the legend unnecessarily.
If Messi is fit, there’s no doubt he’ll earn his place in Argentina’s squad for the summer tournament, just as there’s no doubt he’ll be in the starting lineup.
This will be Messi’s sixth World Cup. At his first, in 2006, he was merely a promising youngster, with few expecting goals or leadership from him.
Back then, Leo started only once (against the Netherlands in the third group match, after Argentina had already secured a spot in the knockout stage), but he managed to score a goal and provide an assist in the 6–0 thrashing of Serbia and Montenegro.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 41 years old, Portugal
2006 World Cup Stats: 6 matches, 1 goal
Probability of participating in the 2026 World Cup: high
Current club: Al-Nassr
The all-time leading goalscorer in football seemed to have bade farewell to the World Cup when Portugal lost to Morocco in the quarter-finals of the 2022 tournament. At the time, Cristiano walked down the tunnel in tears, and his fans believed that was the last major tournament for their idol.
Yet here we are in 2026, and Cristiano is still in the fold, ready to start matches at the upcoming World Cup.
Although his participation in the first two group matches was in question after he received a straight red card in the penultimate qualifying match (which typically carries a three-match suspension), the punishment for the Portugal captain was reduced to just one game, which he has already served.
As for his importance to the team, it’s worth noting that he started every qualifier he was available for, finishing with 5 goals in 5 matches.
But scoring in qualifiers is one thing; scoring in the final tournament is another. Ronaldo knows this better than most, he has only 8 goals in 22 World Cup matches, 3 of which came in a single game (against Spain in 2018).
Cristiano scored his first World Cup goal at the 2006 tournament, netting against Iran in a 2–0 win. Unlike Messi, Ronaldo was a starter back then.
Luka Modric, 40 years old, Croatia
2006 World Cup Stats: 2 matches
Probability of participating in the 2026 World Cup: high
Current club: AC Milan
This season has proven that Luka Modric remains a top-level footballer. He turned 40 in September, yet he’s one of AC Milan’s most influential players. Milan’s second-place standing in Serie A is, to a significant degree, a testament to Modrić’s contribution.
He continues to deliver for his national team as well. Modric took part in all of Croatia’s 2026 World Cup qualifying matches, though not always as a starter, and recorded 1 goal and 2 assists.
If he finishes the club season without injury, there’s little doubt he’ll be included in Croatia’s World Cup squad. This would mark the fifth World Cup for the legendary midfielder; the only tournament he missed since his debut was in 2010, when Croatia failed to qualify.
At his first World Cup in 2006, Modric played just 18 minutes. He was an unused substitute against Brazil (1–0 loss), and came on late against Japan (0–0) and Australia (2–2).
Croatia didn’t advance past the group stage, but Modric did witness one of the most infamous refereeing blunders in World Cup history, when official Graham Poll showed his teammate Josip Simunic three yellow cards before sending him off.
Guillermo Ochoa, 40 years old, Mexico
2006 World Cup Stats: 0 minutes
Probability of participating in the 2026 World Cup: medium
Current club: AEL
Between July and September of last year, football fans braced for headlines announcing Guillermo Ochoa’s retirement. But the charismatic Mexican goalkeeper eventually found a new club, signing with Cypriot side AEL as a free agent until the end of the season.
He currently serves as the team’s starting goalkeeper, though he has conceded 35 goals in 24 matches.
Ochoa last received a call-up to Mexico’s national team in July of last year, and it’s been even longer since his last appearance, a match against Honduras in November 2024.
It seemed his international career was over, but recent reports indicate that 29-year-old goalkeeper Luis Malagón suffered an injury that will rule him out of Mexico’s home World Cup. That could open the door for the legendary Ochoa.
More likely, he’ll watch from the bench, just as he did 20 years ago, when he made the squad for the World Cup in Germany but didn’t play a single minute.
Lukas Podolski, 40 years old, Germany
2006 World Cup Stats: 7 matches, 3 goals
Probability of participating in the 2026 World Cup: zero
Current club: Górnik Zabrze
Lukas Podolski is still playing, though not with the same effectiveness as 10 or 15 years ago. Currently with Górnik Zabrze, he’s part of a tight Polish league title race, but the coach has been giving him less playing time, only one start this season, with most appearances coming as a late substitute or not at all.
That’s still respectable given his age and the fact that Podolski’s peak years are well behind him. He retired from the German national team in 2017, played in Japan and Turkey, and has been in Poland, his country of birth, since 2021. Prior to this season, he was a regular starter for Górnik.
His finest moment at the 2006 World Cup came in the round of 16 against Sweden, where his two goals helped Germany advance. He had also scored earlier in the group stage against Ecuador, and Germany went on to finish third.
Lukasz Fabianski, 40 years old, Poland
2006 World Cup Stats: 0 minutes
Probability of participating in the 2026 World Cup: zero
Current club: West Ham
In July of last year, Lukasz Fabianski’s contract with West Ham expired, ending a seven-year spell in which he made 216 appearances for the club.
In September, he rejoined the Hammers on a one-year deal, though his playing time hasn’t increased, he’s featured in just one match this season, and that was for the youth team.
There’s no chance of him making the World Cup squad. It’s not only because Poland is competing with our side for a spot at the tournament; Fabiański hasn’t played for the national team since 2021.
Moreover, competition for the goalkeeper position in Poland was fierce over the past decade, and Lukasz was the starter at only one major tournament (Euro 2016). At the 2006 World Cup, Fabiański watched all three matches from the bench.
Roque Santa Cruz, 44 years old, Paraguay
2006 World Cup Stats: 3 matches, 1 assist
Probability of participating in the 2026 World Cup: zero
Current club: Nacional Asunción
In January 2026, Roque Santa Cruz, who scored at the 2002 World Cup, was busy finalizing yet another contract in his career. Now no longer with Libertad, he plays for Nacional Asunción, and he’s not just there for ceremonial purposes: he’s already made 9 appearances (4 as a starter) and scored one goal.
The 44-year-old forward was already at the 2002 World Cup, so his legendary status in Paraguayan football cannot be overstated. At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, he didn’t score but did provide an assist for Nelson Cuevas in the final group match against Trinidad and Tobago.
That didn’t help Paraguay, however, losses to England and Sweden in their first two matches ended their chances of advancing.
Vladimir Stojkovic, 42 years old, Serbia
2006 World Cup Stats: 0 minutes
Probability of participating in the 2026 World Cup: zero
Current club: Cukaricki
The least familiar name on this list. While you certainly know about Lionel and Cristiano, and probably guessed Modrić, Podolski, Ochoa, and Santa Cruz, goalkeeper Vladimir Stojković might be unknown to many.
He played in three top leagues but was only a regular starter in his native Serbia (and also in Saudi Arabia).
In 2006, he was named to the squad of the team then known as Serbia and Montenegro for the World Cup. There were no more games after that, they lost to the Netherlands (1–0), Argentina (6–0), and Ivory Coast (3–2, despite leading 2–0).
In theory, this list could still grow. Two more participants from the 2006 World Cup are currently free agents.
Goalkeeper Oscar Ustari, 39, has been without a club since February. He previously played for Inter Miami, and 20 years ago he was part of Argentina’s World Cup squad.
Defender Sergio Ramos, 39, is a true legend who played for Monterrey in 2025 but is now a free agent. He hasn’t announced his retirement; there were rumors in the winter about moves to Paris or a return to Sevilla, but nothing materialized.
