The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be the biggest tournament in football history, and the numbers behind the 48 participating teams are just as remarkable as the stars who will take to the field.

From football icons chasing history to teenage prodigies living out their dreams, the tournament promises a fascinating mix of youth, experience and record-breaking achievements.

Ronaldo Still Defying Time at 41

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo continues to rewrite football’s history books.

At 41 years and 126 days old when the tournament begins, Ronaldo is the fourth-oldest player ever selected for a FIFA World Cup squad. Should he take the field in North America, he will become only the fourth-oldest player to appear in a World Cup match, joining an exclusive club led by Cameroon’s Roger Milla, Colombia’s Faryd Mondragon and Egypt’s Essam El Hadary.

Not far behind Ronaldo are several other football veterans still performing at the highest level, including Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, Croatia maestro Luka Modric, Bosnia and Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko and Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer – all aged 40.

Messi, Ronaldo and Ochoa Set for Historic Sixth World Cup

When Argentina captain Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Guillermo Ochoa walk onto the pitch this summer, they will make history by becoming the first players ever selected for six FIFA World Cups.

The trio move beyond legends such as Antonio Carbajal, Lothar Matthäus, Gianluigi Buffon, Rafael Márquez and Andrés Guardado, who all appeared in five editions of football’s biggest tournament.

Messi and Ronaldo could also become the first players ever to feature in matches across six World Cups.

Meet the Teenager Taking Mexico by Storm

While Ronaldo was already a global star before some players were born, Mexico’s Gilberto Mora is preparing for his first World Cup at just 17 years old.

The talented midfielder is the youngest player at the tournament and could become the youngest Concacaf player ever to appear in a World Cup match if he features for Mexico.

Remarkably, teammate Guillermo Ochoa played at his first World Cup before Mora was born.

Mora heads a new generation of emerging stars, with Czech midfielder Hugo Sochurek, Germany’s Lennart Karl, Senegal forward Ibrahim Mbaye and Egypt striker Hamza Abdelkarim all still teenagers.

Manchester City Win the World Cup Before It Starts

The English Premier League remains football’s biggest exporter of talent, with an astonishing 200 players at the tournament representing clubs based in England.

At club level, no team is better represented than Manchester City, which has 19 players spread across multiple national teams.

The English champions are followed by Bayern Munich with 18 players, while Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain each contribute 16 players.

Messi Leads the Goal Kings

Among the players heading to North America, no one has scored more World Cup goals than Lionel Messi, who has found the net 13 times on football’s biggest stage.

Close behind is Kylian Mbappé with 12 goals, while Harry Kane, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo each have eight.

All are still chasing the all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals set by Miroslav Klose.

The Giant and the Pocket Rocket

Size matters in football—but not always in the way fans might think.

Austria goalkeeper Florian Wiegele stands at a towering 2.05 metres, making him the tallest player ever selected for a FIFA World Cup squad.

At the other end of the scale is Panama playmaker César Yanis, who measures just 1.60 metres and is the shortest player at the tournament.

The largest height gap between two likely opponents could come in Group L, where Panama face England. If Yanis lines up against England defender Dan Burn, who stands 2.01 metres tall, the pair would be separated by an astonishing 41 centimetres – one of the most dramatic height contrasts ever seen on a World Cup pitch.

A Truly Global Tournament

While some nations rely heavily on domestic leagues, others draw their talent entirely from abroad.

Qatar and Saudi Arabia lead the way with 25 home-based players each, showing the strength of their domestic competitions.

Meanwhile, Cabo Verde, DR Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Curaçao, Senegal and Uruguay arrive at the World Cup without a single player currently playing club football in their home country.

World Champions Return

A total of 22 former World Cup winners will compete at the 2026 tournament.

Germany’s Manuel Neuer returns as the sole remaining member of his country’s 2014 title-winning squad, while France bring back stars including Kylian Mbappé, N’Golo Kanté, Ousmane Dembélé and Lucas Hernandez from their 2018 triumph.

Defending champions Argentina boast an impressive 17 survivors from their victorious 2022 campaign, including Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez, Enzo Fernández, Emiliano Martínez and Lautaro Martínez.

As the countdown to kick-off continues, the numbers tell a story all of their own: six-time World Cup legends, teenage prodigies, towering giants, goal-scoring icons and more than 1,000 players all chasing the same dream – lifting football’s most coveted trophy.