The Peruvian national team earned the distinction of being the oldest men’s senior national team in 2024, with an average player age of 30.38 years, according to a report from the CIES Football Observatory. This makes Peru the only team globally with an average age exceeding 30 years.

The Oldest National Teams

Following Peru, the national teams with the highest average age include:

• Iran: 29.75 years
• Chile: 29.53 years
• Kuwait: 29.34 years
• Bahrain: 29.30 years
• Oman: 29.10 years
• South Korea: 29.05 years
• Colombia: 29.02 years

Reigning world champions, Argentina, ranked 12th on the list with an average age of 28.89 years, while Paraguay also appeared in the rankings with a 28.23-year average.

The Youngest National Teams

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the youngest teams in 2024 were:

• Cayman Islands: 23.05 years
• Puerto Rico: 23.34 years
• Chad: 23.43 years
• Samoa: 23.62 years
• Indonesia: 23.90 years
• Cuba: 24.17 years

South America had the lowest percentage of playing time for players under 21 years old, with young players accounting for only 7% of total minutes. By contrast, regions like Oceania displayed a greater emphasis on youth development, as seen with teams like Samoa.