Messi and the 2026 World Cup: Records waiting to be broken

Despite having achieved almost every possible glory with the Argentine national team, Lionel Messi still has the opportunity to break even more historical milestones at the 2026 World Cup.

Lionel Messi concluded the 2022 World Cup in the most perfect way possible, leading Argentina to their long-awaited championship victory. However, the Argentine superstar's journey at the biggest tournament on the planet may not be over yet, as the 2026 World Cup presents an opportunity for him to further increase his already impressive records.

At 39 years old when the tournament took place, Messi was likely to be participating in his last World Cup as an international player. Nevertheless, with his established influence and class, he was still considered a special asset to the Argentina squad.

Messi has won every title with the Argentina national team.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Messi is currently achieving a number of historical milestones.

After the 2022 World Cup, Messi became the player with the most appearances in World Cup history with 26 matches, surpassing legends like Lothar Matthaus and Miroslav Klose. He also leads in minutes played with 2,314 minutes.

Not only has Messi been outstanding in terms of appearances, but he has also made a significant impact in attack. He currently holds the record for most assists in World Cup history with 9, surpassing Diego Maradona. In total, Messi has been involved in 22 goals, including 13 goals and 9 assists, the most in the tournament's history.

Argentina releases preliminary squad for 2026 World Cup: Messi's name included.

The 2022 World Cup also marked another special milestone when Messi became the only player to score in every round of a 32-team World Cup. From the group stage to the final, he left his mark on Argentina's championship journey. These numbers show that Messi is not only a top scorer, but also a central figure in Argentina's playing style for generations.

Klose's goalscoring record is under threat.

Despite already achieving numerous historical milestones, Messi still has the opportunity to conquer new records at the 2026 World Cup. Most notably, he could surpass Miroslav Klose's record for most goals scored in World Cup history.

The former German striker currently leads with 16 goals, while Messi has 13. This means the Argentine superstar only needs to score 3 more goals to equalize and 4 more to claim the record alone. Miroslav Klose himself has admitted the possibility of Messi surpassing his achievement. In an interview with Bild (Germany), the former star suggested that Messi is capable of breaking the World Cup record.

Messi and the 2022 World Cup trophy.

The 2026 World Cup is also considered a more favorable tournament for strikers, as the number of participating teams increases to 48, leading to a total of 104 matches. This opens up more opportunities for stars to improve their individual records.

In addition to his goalscoring record, Messi could further increase his number of matches played, minutes played, and direct involvements in goals if Argentina progresses further in the tournament.

Despite having won almost every prestigious title in his career, Messi still shows that his desire to conquer remains undiminished. Therefore, the 2026 World Cup is not just a tournament for young stars, but could also become the final stage for a legend to continue writing history.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/messi-va-world-cup-2026-nhung-ky-luc-cho-duoc-xo-do-185260512151856617.htm