ESSAM EL HADARY has become the oldest player in World Cup history after starting for Egypt in this afternoon’s clash with Saudi Arabia.
The goalkeeper appeared five times in qualifying and, at the age of 45, makes his finals debut in Volgograd, with Egypt and Saudi Arabia playing just for pride having already been eliminated.
El Hadary takes the record from Faryd Mondragon, who appeared in goal for Colombia in 2014 just three days after his 43rd birthday.
There are three managers at Russia 2018 – Serbia’s Mladen Krstajic, Aliou Cisse of Senegal and Belgium boss Roberto Martinez – who are younger than the Pharaohs keeper.
El Hadary began his professional career in 1993 with Damietta in his native country, but he is perhaps best known for his 12-year spell at Al Ahly between 1996 and 2008, during which time he made over 400 appearances. He currently plays Al-Taawoun, a club based, ironically, in Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed Salah also starts for Egypt, despite reports he was considering quitting the national team over a controversial appearances alongside Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.
Egypt’s selection of El Hadary may well have something to do with the fact that they are playing for pride on Monday, having lost to both Uruguay and Russia in their opening two games.
Both sides are out of the competition — Saudi lost 5-0 to Russia, while Egypt fell to a 3-1 defeat, while each side were beaten by a solitary Uruguay strike.
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