Bosnia-Herzegovina secured a place in the 2026 World Cup finals by defeating Wales in a qualifying play-off. Edin Dzeko, 40, featured in the match to help his national side progress to the tournament. The forward currently plays for Fenerbahce in the Turkish Super Lig, according to ESPN. If Dzeko appears at the tournament in North America, he will join an elite group of the oldest players to ever compete in the finals.
Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary holds the current record, having played at the age of 45 during the 2018 tournament in Russia, per Sky Sports. Other notable veteran appearances include Cameroon striker Roger Milla, who was 42 during the 1994 finals. Dzeko has earned more than 130 caps for his country since making his debut in 2007. The striker previously represented Manchester City in the Premier League, where he won two league titles before moving to Roma and later Inter Milan, according to Reuters reports.
