The pinnacle of the beautiful game is finally upon us after a grueling wait of more than four years. A lot has changed in football since the last World Cup. Favourite football players continue to get older and are presented with new roles. The limelight is being shifted, and the torch is being passed on. The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be no different. Aging superstars will be looking to turn back time, as for some of them, this will be their swansong. Without further ado, here are five players who will likely be playing their final world cup in Qatar 2022.
Five footballers who will likely play their last FIFA World Cup
A lot has happened in football since the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Fallen giants rise from the ashes, underdogs take the mantle from overbearing odds, and super teams come erringly close to total destruction. Some top players have also experienced transitions due to their advancing age. They could hang up their boots after the Qatar 2022 World Cup. The following five players might make their final appearance at the greatest sporting event on Earth.
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Lionel Messi
Starting off with the obvious, the greatest living Argentine has already announced that Qatar will be his last World Cup. Despite cries from supporters and teammates, Messi is adamant that he will not be in Argentine colours when the next World Cup in the Americas rolls around.
Considered by most to be the greatest footballer of all time, Lionel Messi recently delivered silverware for Argentina, something that had haunted him since his comparison with the late great Diego Maradona.
Disappointing at Russia 2018, the diminutive Argentine lit up Brazil in 2014, dragging Argentina to the Final, where they lost 1-0 to Germany. Undoubtedly, he'll be looking to go one better in Qatar.
Luka Modric
Speaking of all-time greats, Croatian magician Luka Modric is also set to appear in his final World Cup at the age of 37. The midfield maestro has been in top form for club side Real Madrid, and he will be looking to replicate his performance from the 2018 World Cup, where Croatia surprised everyone to finish as runners up.
Modric has led the midfield charge for the Vatreni for over a decade, with over 154 caps for the Balkan nation. As stated earlier, Zlatko Dalic's men will be looking to continue on from where they left off. In realizing that ambition, Modric will play a major role.
Although no official confirmation has been made by the silky-haired superstar, at 41, it seems like a long shot for Modric. However, judging by the way the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner has looked this season, he could surprise us all.
Gareth Bale
Wales will be making their first world cup appearance in 64 years in Qatar, and they have only one man to thank for that: former Tottenham and Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale. Currently plying his trade in MLS, Gareth Bale has been the standout performer for the Dragons, being their top scorer in the world cup qualifiers.
The forward has looked less than impressive in club football over the past four years, but when it comes to the international arena, the Welshman has been a class apart.
Bale has already announced that Qatar 2022 will be his last appearance on the world's biggest stage. With a group featuring England, Iran, and the US, he'll be looking to bring his A game.
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Thiago Silva
Along with eternal rivals Argentina, Brazil have been one of the few teams tipped to have a big impact at the upcoming World Cup, and no doubt, at the heart of their defense is 38-year-old Thiago Silva.
The evergreen center back has turned back time at Stamford Bridge, looking like one of the best defenders in the world's toughest league. Brazil manager Tite will be heavily relying on the veteran if Brazil are to make any progress after their quarterfinal exit in Russia.
Silva will be 42 when the next World Cup comes around. Even the most optimistic of fans would be reluctant to bet on him making an appearance in the Americas in 2026.
Manuel Neuer
Few footballers have had an impact on the modern game as much as Germany's Manuel Neuer. The successor to Oliver Kahn has undoubtedly outshone his predecessor and defined the role of sweeper-keeper with his antics in the mid- to early-2010s.
One of the heroes of Germany's triumph in Brazil in 2014, he was also a villain at Die Mannschaft's shock exit at the hands of South Korea in 2018. This time, however, it will be a final chance at redemption for the 36-year-old.
Neuer has been Germany's No. 1 for more than a decade now, with many talented individuals being forced to play second fiddle to his greatness. However, one can be sure that the torch will finally be passed in 2026.
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Conclusion
The English proverb goes, "Time and tide await none." Although this is true, in the world of football, we often see time being turned back by sheer greatness on the biggest stage, whether it be Zinedine Zidane in 2006, Miroslav Klose in 2014, or Dino Zoff in 1982. For the players on this list, they are unlikely to participate in another FIFA World Cup after Qatar 2022, their final shot at winning the biggest prize in football. One can only hope that they will be able to dispel the proverb once again.