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Lionel Messi will etch his name into World Cup history when Argentina kicks off its title defense against Algeria on Tuesday evening, becoming the first player in the men's tournament's history to appear in a sixth edition.
Both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been named to their respective squads for a sixth World Cup this summer, having both made their tournament debuts in 2006, but it is Messi who will be the first to actually take the field in the 2026 edition.
Ronaldo's Portugal doesn't begin their campaign until 14 hours later on Wednesday, when they face D.R. Congo.
Guillermo Ochoa, Mexico's reserve goalkeeper, is also attending a sixth World Cup but has served as a backup on two occasions and remained on the bench during last Thursday's victory over South Africa. He actually featured in just three tournaments—2014, 2018, and 2022—but that is no less a testament to his remarkable longevity.
There had been some uncertainty surrounding Messi's availability for Argentina's clash with Algeria due to a hamstring injury he picked up while playing for Inter Miami last month. Messi was taken off before the final whistle of a 6–4 win over the Philadelphia Union and has logged only 20 minutes of action since—the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner made a brief substitute appearance in the warmup fixture against Honduras.
Despite those concerns, Messi is set to start, flanked in attack by Lautaro Martínez and Thiago Almada. The 38-year-old, who turns a year older two days after Argentina's next group game against Austria on June 22, will lead the side as captain.
Messi's World Cup Record for Tournament Appearances
The existing record for the most men's World Cup tournaments participated in stands at five. Messi and Ronaldo matched that benchmark, originally established in 1966 by Mexican icon Antonio Carbajal, at the 2022 Qatar tournament.
Andrés Guardado also reached five appearances in 2022 but stepped away from international duty with Mexico two years ago. Fellow Mexican Rafael Márquez competed in a fifth World Cup in 2018, while Germany's Lothar Matthäus reached that milestone back in 1998.
In women's soccer, Marta (Brazil), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Homare Sawa (Japan), and Onome Ebi (Nigeria) have all featured in six separate World Cup tournaments. However, the outright record belongs to Brazil's Formiga, who participated in seven editions spanning from 1995 to 2019.
When it comes to individual World Cup matches, Messi claimed the men's record when he guided Argentina to glory over France in the 2022 final. That was his 26th appearance overall, eclipsing Matthäus's long-standing mark of 25 that had held since 1998.
Messi will push that record further in 2026, potentially reaching 34 if Argentina advances to the final once more and he features in every game. However, should the unlikely occur and Argentina bow out in the group stage, the record could be within reach of Cristiano Ronaldo if Portugal enjoy a deep run this summer. Ronaldo currently has 22 World Cup appearances and could surpass Messi if he plays eight times while Messi adds only three.