10 Oldest Footballers Called Up For World Cup 2018

At 45 years of age, Essam El-Hadary is by far the oldest player set to attend this summer's World Cup, but he's also one of the most talented. Once described by Didier Drogba himself as the "best opponent" he ever faced, El-Hadary is an exceptionally skilled goalkeeper, consistently proving himself as Egypt's best option between the sticks.

At club level, El-Hadary has spent most of his career in his native Egypt, winning plenty of cups and titles. He played his first professional match back in 1993 and was called up for Egypt just a few years later in 1996, going on to become the nation's undisputed number one for over two decades.

He's one of the most capped international footballers of all time but is widely unknown to football fans outside of Africa. Now, he's finally getting a chance to prove his talent on the global stage as part of an exciting Egyptian squad that also features Liverpool's superstar winger, Mohamed Salah. Salah will have a big role in any success Egypt have this summer, but El-Hadary's influence will be equally important.