Qatar Forward Sebastián Soria Could Become Oldest Outfield Player at a World Cup
Soccer
Published May 12, 2026, 10:12 a.m. ET
Veteran Qatar forward Sebastian Soria, 42, has a real shot at becoming the oldest outfield player to appear in a World Cup after he was named Tuesday to Qatar’s preliminary squad for the tournament. The Uruguay-born striker was included in a 34-man group selected by Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui, which must be whittled down to 26 or fewer before the World Cup opens.
If Soria takes the field at the World Cup—where Qatar is drawn into Group B with co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina—he would break Roger Milla’s record as the oldest outfield player in the tournament’s 96-year history. Milla was 42 when he played his final World Cup match for Cameroon in 1994 in the United States. The oldest player ever is Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who was 45 years, 161 days old when he faced Saudi Arabia in 2018. Scotland’s 43-year-old goalkeeper Craig Gordon is also expected to be at the finals if he recovers from his injury in time.
Soria’s international career appeared to end in 2017, and he was passed over for Qatar’s squad at the 2022 World Cup. He was recalled last October and played in Qatar’s decisive World Cup qualifying match, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2-1 victory over the United Arab Emirates in Doha. “Thankful to God for letting me live this one,” Soria wrote on Instagram, “proud to wear the Al Anabi jersey once again and represent this beautiful country.”
Soria moved to the Qatari league in 2004 and later became a naturalized citizen before making his national team debut in 2007. Qatar begins its World Cup campaign on June 13 against Switzerland in San Francisco, then faces Canada in Vancouver, and finishes Group B against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Seattle on June 24.
Reporting by The Associated Press. Get more from the Soccer by following your favorites to get information about games, news and more in a clean, simple style.
