At the age of 45, Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary is to make World Cup in history in becoming the oldest player to play in the coveted competition.
El-Hadary made his first-team debut as a 20-year old all the way back in 1993 with Damietta in his native Egypt, before joining Al-Ahly and winning eight league titles as well as four CAF Champions Leagues.
Incredibly, his first of 157 caps for his country came in 1996 – 10 months before Stoke City winger Ramadan Sobhi, the youngest member of the Egypt travelling party, was born.
The former FC Sion shotstopper, who was once on trial at Hull City, is still going strong today with Al-Taawoun, making 27 appearances for the club in 2017/18.And if he takes to the pitch in Russia in what will be his first ever World Cup, he will overtake Faryd Mondragon as the oldest player to play in the tournament.
Aged 43 years, the legendary Colombian was in between the sticks for the 4-1 win over Japan four years back, with his record not looking like it would ever be beaten.
However, El-Hadary now has the chance to do just that if Hector Cuper decides to play the four-time African Cup of Nations winner in Egypt’s third World Cup.
The other big news as far as Egypt are concerned is that despite nursing a shoulder injury from the much-maligned Sergio Ramos challenge in the Champions League, talisman Mohamed Salah is included in the squad.
