FIFA World Cup: Players who will most likely play their final World Cup in 2022

They will likely hang around at the next World Cup, scheduled to be held in 2026 in North America. Here's a list of such players that the football community will miss. 

Christiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

The 37-year-old Ronaldo will try to release his frustration from a difficult season at Old Trafford. He is hailed as the all-time top-scorer in men's international soccer have netted 117 goals. 

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has made a Portuguese record 191 appearances and led his clubs to massive victories, including two Serie A titles with Juventus. 

Unfortunately, his return to Premier League has failed to bear any fruit. He has been sidelined as a substitute by United boss Erik ten Hag. 

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

The football legend from Rosario has seven Ballon d'Or titles under his belt. The best of his glory days were recorded at Camp Nou, where he spent 16 seasons. 

He plays for the Qatari-backed Paris Saint-Germain, where he endured a few difficulties missing out on the 30-man shortlist for the 2022 Ballon d'Or award. 

Messi almost won the World Cup with Argentina in 2014 when they became finalists, but his only international title so far has been the 2021 Copa América.

Robert Lewandowski (Poland)

The 34-year-old Lewandowski has been a pillar of support for every team he has played for. He scored goals for Borussia Dortmund, then Bayern Munich, where he clinched 312 goals in 384 appearances.

Despite his flawless record, he has dramatically been overshadowed by the likes of Ronaldo and Messi. For Poland, however, he is a reliable skipper and a record scorer, having netted 76 goals in 134 appearances. 

He has never scored a goal in the World Cup, and in 2018, Poland crashed out of the group stage.

Luis Suarez (Uruguay)

Luiz Suarez, a well-known subject of greatness and controversy, will play his fourth World Cup this year in Qatar. He is Uruguay's all-time highest scorer with 134 goals. 

His career spawns brief stints at Ajax, Barcelona, Liverpool, and Atlético Madrid. Suárez had to walk out of the 2014 edition for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder. 

Suárez led Atlético to the Spanish league title in his debut season there in 2021 before he returned to Nacional. 

Thomas Mueller (Germany)

German legend Thomas Müller netted five goals at the 2010 World Cup. The 33-year-old is an indispensable part of Germany and Bayern Munich. However, he was removed from the team in 2019 during Joachim Löw's attempt at resurrecting a struggling German side. 

He returned to the European Championship in 2021 and reclaimed his spot. Known for being at the right place at the right time, Müller is also seen as a mature and approachable leader by his teammates. 

Other notable mentions

Luka Modric (Croatia)

The 37-year-old Modric has won five Champions League titles and three league titles with Real Madrid. He helped Croatia reach the World Cup final in 2018 and was awarded the Golden Ball for the best player at the tournament. 

Dani Alves (Brazil)

The 39-year-old right-back's first stint in Barcelona lasted eight seasons. The Brazilian, who returned to Camp Nou for the 2021-22 season, will play this third World Cup. 

Manuel Neuer (Germany)

The 36-year-old Neuer is one of the best goalkeepers Germany has produced. The Bayern Munich skipper was voted goalkeeper of the tournament during Germany's winning run in 2014.