World Cup age records, from Norman Whiteside to Essam El-Hadary | OneFootball

With eight players aged over 40 and 19 teenagers selected for this World Cup, age is a storyline in its own right. According to L'Équipe, that breadth naturally raises the question of the World Cup’s age records.

The youngest remains Norman Whiteside. At Spain 1982, Northern Ireland opened against Yugoslavia in Zaragoza, where manager Billy Bingham started the teenager, recently promoted to Manchester United's first team. The match ended 0-0, and the Belfast-born player set the mark at 17 years 40 days.

The oldest arrived far more recently, in Russia in 2018. In Egypt's final group game against Saudi Arabia, goalkeeper and captain Essam El-Hadary made his last World Cup appearance. The Pharaohs lost 2-1 and finished with no points, but he set the record at 45 years 161 days.

Neither mark will fall at this World Cup. Gilberto Mora, the youngest of the competition's 1248 players, will be 17 years 240 days for the opening match. Scotland's veteran keeper Craig Gordon, on 84 caps, will be 43 years 165 days at his first game.

For France, Steve Mandanda became the oldest player to feature, in the third group match of 2022. He started the 1-0 defeat to Tunisia, aged 37 years 247 days. Kylian Mbappé remains France's youngest World Cup player, at 19 years 175 days against Australia in 2018, a 2-1 win.

Source: L'Équipe