Who was the oldest player to win the FIFA World Cup?

Dino Zoff was the oldest player to win the FIFA World Cup, lifting the trophy for Italy in 1982 at 40 years, 4 months and 13 days.

Zoff captained Italy during the tournament in Spain and played every minute of the final against West Germany in Madrid. Italy won 3–1, with goals from Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli and Alessandro Altobelli. Zoff’s leadership and saves helped secure Italy’s third World Cup title.

The record is often confused with other age-related World Cup marks. Cameroon’s Roger Milla was the oldest player to appear and score in a World Cup, while Peter Shilton and other goalkeepers are associated with clean-sheet records. Those achievements do not replace Zoff’s specific record as the oldest World Cup winner.

Zoff had already won the 1968 European Championship with Italy and remains the only Italian footballer to win both that title and the World Cup. He also received the tournament’s award for best goalkeeper in 1982.