Son Heung-min said it plainly: "This could be my last World Cup." He's not alone. The 2026 tournament in North America is shaping up to be the largest farewell party in football history — 48 teams, and a remarkable number of the sport's defining players making their final bow on the biggest stage.
Some of these exits are confirmed. Others are just the cold logic of mathematics — by 2030, certain careers simply won't extend that far. Either way, the stakes at this tournament go well beyond lifting the trophy.
The two who need no introduction
Cristiano Ronaldo has already confirmed it: this is his last World Cup. He's the only player to have scored in five different editions of the tournament, and that cabinet still has one conspicuous gap. A World Cup winner's medal. At 41 by the time the final is played, this is genuinely the last shot.
Lionel Messi comes in as the defending champion and eight-time Ballon d'Or winner — a man who has, by most measures, won everything. He wants a second world title. His hamstring keeps reminding him that time isn't negotiable, and at 39, Argentina's World Cup odds are inseparable from the question of how many minutes he can actually play.
Both men will be appearing at their sixth World Cup. That's not a shared coincidence — it's the closing chapter of a rivalry that defined a generation of football.
The rest of the list
- Luka Modric — The Croatian who broke the Messi-Ronaldo stranglehold on the Ballon d'Or in 2018, the same year he dragged Croatia to the final. Injury concerns persist, but expect him to play every minute he can.
- Neymar — Only 34, but fitness has been a recurring problem for years. Brazil are banking on his experience. He's hinted at retiring later this year, which makes this tournament feel genuinely conclusive.
- Manuel Neuer — The 40-year-old came out of international retirement specifically for this. Germany are trusting his reading of the game over reflexes that age inevitably erodes.
- Luis Suarez — Called time on international football in 2024, reversed the decision. Uruguay's last World Cup win was 1950. Suarez knows exactly what this would mean.
- Mo Salah — Nearly walked away from Egypt duty when they missed the 2022 tournament. They're back now, and so is he. Widely expected to be his final appearance on this stage.
- Virgil van Dijk — 34 years old, still commanding at the back, but has signalled this will be his last. Netherlands' defensive solidity in knockout rounds depends heavily on what he brings.
- Son Heung-min — Korea's captain, now in MLS after leaving Liverpool. Has openly flagged this as likely his final World Cup. Everything he does in this tournament will be read through that lens.
- Kevin De Bruyne — Turns 35 during the tournament. He's said he'll continue with Belgium after it, but he'll be 39 by 2030. The math doesn't really support another campaign.
Ten players. One tournament. The sheer concentration of generational talent in what amounts to their retirement matches is something the 2026 World Cup won't be able to manufacture again. Some will go out as champions. Most won't. That's always been the truth of it.
