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The 2022 FIFA World Cup is right around the corner and the excitement is starting to build ahead of the beautiful game's showpiece event. Most of the game's top stars will feature and will give it their all in a bid to take home football's biggest prize.
Amid all the elation associated with the quadrennial event, there is also some bittersweet news as usual. Some of the most extraordinary footballers of the modern era will be playing their final World Cup at Qatar this December.
Without further ado, let's take five superstars who could be playing their last FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
#5 Thomas Muller (Germany)
Thomas Muller is one of the best and most underrated forwards of his generation. The self-proclaimed 'Raumdeuter' (space interpretor) has been phenomenal for Germany at World Cups. He played a crucial role in their 2014 FIFA World Cup triumph.
Muller has scored 10 goals and provided six assists in 16 World Cup matches in his career. He is 32 now and the 2022 FIFA World Cup could very well be his last one. After crashing out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the group stages, Muller will be desperate to sign off on a high in Qatar.
#4 Luis Suarez (Uruguay)
Luis Suarez is inarguably one of the greatest strikers of his generation. The Uruguay international is well past is prime now but still has quite a lot to offer to his national team. Suarez will lead the line for Diego Alonso's side at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
He has done a pretty stellar job for Uruguay at the World Cups. In 13 World Cup appearances, Suarez has scored seven goals and provided four assists. He will be dearly missed when he calls it a day on his international career. Suarez is 35 now and this is very likely to be his final World Cup.
#3 Luka Modric (Croatia)
Luka Modric was one of the standout performers of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He led the Croatian side to the final where they fell to France. But Modric won the Golden Ball award for his performances.
The 36-year-old is coming off a wonderful season with Real Madrid, winning both the La Liga and Champions League titles. Modric is 36 years old now but he is still performing at a very high level. However, the 2022 FIFA World Cup is likely to be his last one.
He will be 40 by the time the 2026 World Cup arrives and the Croatia international is likely to have hung up his boots by then.
#2 Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
Robert Lewandowski is currently the most prolific striker in Europe's top five leagues. The Bayern Munich striker scored 50 goals and provided seven assists in 46 appearances across all competitions in the 2021-22 season.
Lewandowski made his first World Cup appearance in 2018. He had a largely forgettable tournament, failing to score or provide an assist in three appearances. But he is in the form of his life right now and will look to redeem himself this year in Qatar.
Lewandowski is 33 years old right now and unlikely to be around for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest goalscorer in the history of men's football. The 37-year-old has scored 117 goals in 189 appearances and will be desperate to take home the elusive World Cup. Ronaldo has lost a yard of pace over the years and is not as influential as he used to be in his prime.
But he continues to be an incredible marksman and is the very definition of a fox-in-the-box. Ronaldo had a pretty decent season with Manchester United this time around and was even named in the 'PFA Team of the Year'.
Ronaldo will be 41 for the 2026 edition of the World Cup and is most likely to have called it a day on his football career.
