GENEVA (AP) 鈥� Veteran Qatar forward Sebasti谩n 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 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 鈥� where Qatar is in a group with co-host Canada, Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina 鈥� he will break Roger Milla鈥檚 record as the oldest outfield player in the tournament鈥檚 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.
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鈥檚 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 game. Soria came on as a second-half substitute in a 2-1 win over the United Arab Emirates in Doha.
鈥淭hankful to God for letting me live this one,鈥� Soria after the game, 鈥減roud to wear the Al Anabi jersey once again and represent this beautiful country.鈥�
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.
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