Veteran Qatar forward Sebastian Soria has a chance to become the oldest outfield player to appear at a World Cup after the 42-year-old was included Tuesday in the country’s preliminary squad for tournament.
The Uruguay-born Soria was in a 34-player group selected by Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui, which must be cut to no more than 26 ahead of the World Cup starting June 11.
If Soria plays at the World Cup — where Qatar is in a group with co-host Canada, Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina — he will break Roger Milla’s record as the oldest outfield player in the tournament’s 96-year history. Milla was also 42 when he played his last World Cup with Cameroon in 1994 in the United States.
The oldest-ever World Cup player is Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who was 45 years, 161 days, when he played against Saudi Arabia in 2018.
Sebastian Soria of Qatar SC celebrates after scoring a goal during the Ooredoo Qatar Stars League match between Qatar SC and Al-Gharafa SC at Khalifa International Stadium. (Photo by Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Scotland’s 43-year-old goalkeeper Craig Gordon should also be at this year’s World Cup if he recovers from an injury in time.
Soria’s international career seemed to end in 2017 and he was not picked for the 2022 World Cup by the host nation.
He was called up again last October and played in Qatar’s decisive World Cup qualifying game. Soria came on as a second-half substitute in a 2-1 win over the United Arab Emirates in Doha.
“Thankful to God for letting me live this one,” Soria wrote on his Instagram account after the game, “proud to wear the Al Anabi jersey once again and represent this beautiful country.”
Soria moved to play in the Qatari league in 2004 and was naturalized as a citizen before making his national team debut in 2007.
Qatar starts its World Cup campaign June 13 against Switzerland in San Francisco. Qatar then plays Canada in Vancouver and finishes Group B against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Seattle on June 24.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
