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Lionel Messi continues to reach remarkable new milestones at the 2026 World Cup.
The 39-year-old netted his 20th World Cup goal during Friday evening's thrilling victory over Cabo Verde, further extending his own record established earlier in the competition—notably, 14 of those goals have come after his 35th birthday. Messi is currently on a run of eight consecutive World Cup matches finding the net. He also became the first player—male or female—to score seven or more goals across two separate World Cups.
Beyond World Cup statistics, Messi's outing for Argentina against Cabo Verde marked his 203rd appearance for the national side at senior level. That already stands as an Argentina record unlikely to ever be surpassed—Messi sits 56 caps clear of Javier Mascherano in second place on the all-time list.
Overall, Messi now ranks second for senior national team appearances in men's football.
He drew level with Kuwait forward Bader al-Mutawa on 202 caps after coming off the bench against Jordan in the World Cup group stage. Luka Modrić also reached 202 when he featured in Croatia's round of 32 elimination against Portugal in recent days.
Messi surpassed both on Friday. Long-standing rival Cristiano Ronaldo remains the only man to have featured in more senior international matches. His appearance against Croatia was his 232nd for Portugal, a figure that will continue to climb for as long as he remains in the tournament.
However, the 41-year-old Ronaldo is widely expected to step away from international duty after this tournament, with his sister hinting as much and it representing a natural endpoint given his overall career is increasingly unlikely to stretch beyond 2027. So his record won't increase by a great deal more.
Most International Appearances in Men's Soccer—All-Time
Player | National Team | Appearances | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | 232 | 2003–present |
Lionel Messi | Argentina | 203 | 2005–present |
Bader Al Mutawa | Kuwait | 202 | 2003–2022 |
Luka Modrić | Croatia | 202 | 2006–present |
Soh Chin Ann | Malaysia | 195 | 1969–1984 |
Ahmed Kano | Oman | 193 | 2003–2019 |
Hassan Al Haydos | Qatar | 188 | 2008–present |
Ahmed Hassan | Egypt | 184 | 1995–2012 |
Sergio Ramos | Spain | 180 | 2005–2021 |
Andrés Guardado | Mexico | 180 | 2005–2024 |
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Will Messi Beat Cristiano Ronaldo's Appearances World Record?
Should Argentina advance all the way to the final, Messi could add four more caps to his total. Overtaking Ronaldo is theoretically possible, though it would require several more years of continued commitment.
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Messi typically plays six or fewer Argentina matches in years without a major tournament. A Copa América is scheduled for 2028, but Messi may need to continue playing all the way through to the 2030 World Cup, by which point he would be approaching 43. Given that he was reluctant for months to even commit to featuring in this summer's tournament, it appears unlikely he will remain with Argentina until that stage.
For context, 10 players in women's football have accumulated more national team appearances than Ronaldo's current men's world record. Four have surpassed 300 caps, and the all-time record of 354, set in 2010, belongs to former USWNT midfielder and captain Kristine Lilly.