The Fourteen 2006 World Cup Players Who Are STILL Playing

TL;DR

Only 14 of 736 players from the 2006 World Cup are still active, ranging from Modric at AC Milan to a 47-year-old in England's ninth tier.

Key Points

• 1.Ten of the 14 remaining active 2006 World Cup players are still professional, with only eight contracted to clubs. Four — Modric, Ronaldo, Messi, and Ochoa — could appear at the 2026 World Cup, 20 years after their tournament debut.
• 2.Luka Modric, now 40, is the most impressive longevity case, having joined AC Milan after leaving Real Madrid. He has played 2,594 minutes this season, ranks ninth in all-time recorded appearances with 1,157 games, and has been capped 196 times — fourth most in men's football history.
• 3.Lukasz Fabianski, 41, is one of only two 2006 World Cup players still contracted to a big-five European league club. Once mocked as 'Flappy Handski' at Arsenal, he rebuilt his reputation at Swansea and West Ham, making 200+ appearances, though he is expected to retire into a coaching role imminently.
• 4.Sergio Ramos, 40, remains unattached but is reportedly willing to play for free and was even linked with Manchester United before Christmas. He made nearly 700 appearances for Real Madrid, won 22 trophies including four Champions Leagues, and most recently played for Mexican club Monterrey.
• 5.Guillermo Ochoa, 40, could become the first player ever to appear at six World Cups if selected for Mexico's 2026 squad. He holds 151 caps — third most in Mexico's history — and currently plays for AEL Limassol in Cyprus after stints in Italy and Portugal.
• 6.Roque Santa Cruz, 44, is the oldest active 2006 World Cup player still in professional football, having joined Club Nacional in Paraguay in January. He scored goals in four separate decades and has made more career appearances than either Paulo Maldini or Ryan Giggs.
• 7.Vladimir Stokovic, nearly 43, signed a 1.5-year deal with Serbian Super League side Čukarički in January 2025. He won 84 caps for Serbia and previously had Premier League spells at Wigan Athletic and Nottingham Forest.
• 8.Lukas Podolski tops the list, still playing at boyhood club Górnik Zabrze at age 40 after five seasons and 127 appearances, now part-owning the club. He won the Best Young Player award at the 2006 World Cup, scored 49 goals in 130 Germany caps, and his Zabrze side could yet qualify for the Champions League this season.