Lionel Messi is set to embark the journey of his final World Cup as he begins the World Cup 2026 campaign with Argentina on Wednesday.
Messi was part of the victorious Argentina squad in 2022 World Cup and as defending champions, he will be hoping for an intriguing final dance at the grandest stage. Lionel Messi has not only collected silverware but has systematically dismantled the record books throughout his World Cup journey. His 2022 triumph was particularly record-breaking, as he delivered a masterclass while leading Argentina to glory.
Lionel Messi World Cup Records
Messi holds the record for the most World Cup appearances with 26 matches, surpassing Germany's Lothar Matthäus who had 25. He also leads in total minutes played with 2,314 minutes, ahead of Italy's Paolo
Maldini.
In Qatar 2022, he became the first player in history to score in every stage of a single World Cup - group stage, round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final. He is Argentina's all-time leading World Cup goalscorer and the only player to register assists in five different World Cups.
With 10 Man of the Match awards, Messi stands alone at the top, and he remains the only player to win two FIFA Golden Ball awards (2014 and 2022).
2026 Milestones Within Reach
By playing in the 2026 World Cup, Messi will join an elite club as only the second player in history to feature in six different men's World Cups, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
He currently shares the all-time World Cup goal involvement record with Pele at 21 contributions. One more goal or assist will make him the outright leader.
With 13 World Cup goals, Messi needs three more to equal Miroslav Klose's record of 16 and four to become the outright all-time top scorer.
Additionally, he is just two appearances away from reaching 200 international caps for Argentina - a feat only two other male players have achieved.
Whether he lifts another trophy or adds more historic numbers, Lionel Messi's World Cup legacy is already immortalised among the greatest to ever play the game.
