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A record 1,248 players representing 48 nations are on the final World Cup rosters released by FIFA on Tuesday.
The rosters include Lionel Messi of Argentina, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Guillermo Ochoa of Mexico, who will be competing in the World Cup for a record sixth time.
Of the players in 104 matches in Canada, the United States and Mexico, 357 have competed in at least one previous World Cup while about 891 players are in the event for the first time.
The rosters reflect a wide range of ages, with more than 25 years separating the oldest and youngest player. Scotland’s Craig Gordon is 43 years, 162 days old. Mexico’s Gilberto Mora is 17 years, 240 days old as one of 22 players in the field younger than 20. Seven players are 40 or older.
Four nations — Cabo Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan — are competing in the World Cup for the first time.
According to FIFA regulations, replacements to the rosters are permitted only due to serious injury or illness up to 24 hours before a team’s first match. Any exceptions must be approved by FIFA.
Canada head coach Jesse Marsch joins Soccer North to discuss his final World Cup squad and the difficult decisions that went into selecting the roster. Marsch explains what he values most in his players, the identity of this Canadian team, and how the group has evolved since the 2022 World Cup.
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