New Delhi, July 2 -- Men in their mid-30s and older? Gen Z call them "unc", a pejorative term for sure. However, the biggest stage in world football, talented Gen Z stars such as Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, or Ayyoub Bouaddi are being handed a footballing masterclass by the "unc" brigade, led by Lionel Messi, who at 39, remains the world's best and biggest footballer.

He's not alone. The World Cup has featured 72 players aged 35 and above, including Croatia's Luka Modric (40) and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (41), both Ballon d'Or winners. By comparison, there were just 41 players in this age bracket in the last edition in Qatar, a mere seven in the 1990 tournament played in Italy, and only two players at the 1974 World Cup.

This big j...