Here are the records in the long history of the World Cup set by African players since its inception.
Africa’s World Cup story is often told through the achievements of countries in the tournament. From Cameroon’s 1990 quarter-final run to Senegal’s 2002 breakthrough, Ghana’s near semi-final moment in 2010, and Morocco’s historic 2022 semi-final finish.
But beyond national teams, African players also own some of the notable individual records in FIFA World Cup history. These are not just African records. Here are the World Cup records held by African players.
The oldest goalscorer in World Cup history
Cameroon icon Roger Milla remains the oldest player ever to score at a FIFA World Cup.
Milla made history at the 1994 World Cup in the United States when he scored for Cameroon against Russia at the age of 42 years and 39 days. His goal may have come in a heavy defeat, but it secured his place in football history forever.
FIFA recognises Milla as the oldest goalscorer in World Cup history, a record that has stood for more than three decades.
Milla’s achievement is even more remarkable because he had already made history four years earlier at Italia 1990. At 38, he became one of the defining stars of the tournament, scoring four goals as Cameroon became the first African team to reach the World Cup quarter-finals.
The oldest player in World Cup history
Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary also holds a major overall World Cup record.
At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, El-Hadary became the oldest player ever to appear in a FIFA World Cup match. He was 45 years and 161 days old when he started for Egypt against Saudi Arabia.
That appearance made him older than every previous player to feature at the tournament, including Colombia’s Faryd Mondragón, who had set the previous record in 2014.
El-Hadary’s record-breaking game was not just symbolic. He also saved a penalty in the match, adding another memorable moment to one of the most remarkable individual appearances in World Cup history.