I have to pose this question about these World Cup stars.
Is age just a number or does it prove football is getting ever worse?
As in, whilst the hype grows and grows and grows, is the reality that the actual quality of football is going in the other direction?
If your were around for Italia ’90, one name will ring a bell for sure.
Roger Miller, or rather, Roger Milla. A clerical mistake meant his birth certificate and everything that followed showed Miller rather than the Milla that his parents intended.
Anyway. Back in 1990 everybody thought it was hilarious that at the age of 38 Roger Milla/Miller was one of Cameroon’s star players.
It was thought outstanding that he managed to score four goals at the 1990 World Cup, two against Romania and another two against Colombia. Then in the quarter-final match against England, it looked like Roger was going to have played a key part in knocking our boys out, until two late penalties turned it around. Allowing England to progress and have the Gazza tears and agony of the semi-final penalty shootout loss to the Germans.
Roger was thought a real novelty back then, such an old player at a World Cup, how hilarious. Roger even scored a goal at the 1994 World Cup finals against Russia, at the age of 42, though by then he was used very sparingly and not one of Cameroon’s star players.
Fast forward to the present day and you cannot move now for players of a certain age at these 2026 World Cup finals, the likes of…
Ronaldo is 41.
Lionel Messi will turn 39 on 24 June 2026.
Craig Gordon is 43.
Edin Dzeko is 40.
Manuel Neuer is 40.
Luka Modric is 40.
There are many others pushing towards 40 that are appearing at this World Cup and so many of them are outfield players.
You can more understand it with the likes of Gordon and Neuer still seen as credible selections at this World Cup as they play in goal.
However, we now see some of the best/better rated national teams with very old players, the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Modric and Dzeko.
Is it a case of these being simply outstanding players and who with the help of modern diets and other assistance can play at the top for far longer. Or is the reality that football is getting a little bit rubbish compared to the past?