Lionel Messi's career at the FIFA World Cup reached unprecedented heights during the 2026 tournament, where he solidified his status as one of the competition’s all-time greats. Over the course of the event, Messi extended his record for most World Cup goals, initially surpassing Miroslav Klose’s previous mark of 16 to reach 21. However, France’s Kylian Mbappe ultimately edged him out by scoring twice in the Bronze final, bringing Mbappe’s total to 22 goals.

Messi also set new benchmarks in World Cup victories, moving past Klose’s record of 17 wins to register 23 following Argentina’s semi-final victory over England. Additionally, Messi outmatched legendary scorers Just Fontaine and Jairzinho by scoring in nine consecutive World Cup matches, eclipsing their prior record of six consecutive games.

At nearly 39 years old, Messi became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in World Cup history during a match against Algeria, breaking the previous record held by Cristiano Ronaldo, who was 33 when he achieved the feat in 2018. The hat-trick also propelled Messi past Brazil’s Ronaldo to become the highest-scoring South American in World Cup history.

Messi further demonstrated his versatility by adding three long-range goals in the 2026 tournament, increasing his total for strikes from outside the penalty area to seven—surpassing Brazil’s Rivellino, who held the previous record with five. His ability to perform from distance has been a consistent feature, with earlier long-range goals recorded during the 2014 and 2022 World Cups.

Alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi remains one of only two players to have participated in six separate World Cup tournaments, sharing this distinction with former greats such as Antonio Carbajal and Lothar Matthaus. He also holds the record for most World Cup appearances overall, culminating in 34 matches after the 2026 competition, and leads with 27 appearances as team captain, ahead of Rafa Marquez and Diego Maradona.

Messi’s influence extends beyond goal-scoring. He completed the highest number of successful dribbles in World Cup history and holds the record for the most minutes played in the tournament, having surpassed Paolo Maldini’s mark in 2022. He is the only player to have provided assists across six World Cups, with a total of 10 assists in knockout stages—more than any other player—which helped break Pele’s record.

One of Messi’s notable achievements at the Lusail Stadium in 2026 was scoring in every round of the tournament—from the group stage through to the final—becoming the only player to do so in a single World Cup. He also set a longevity record as the only player to score World Cup goals in his teens, twenties, and thirties.

In terms of individual accolades, Messi earned the Player of the Match award 16 times, including a record five during the 2026 edition alone, surpassing his own previous best. He remains the sole player to have won multiple Golden Ball awards, having received the honor in both 2014 and 2022. Messi’s two-decade span between his first and latest World Cup goals—20 years and 21 days—stands as the longest in history, underscoring a remarkable and enduring legacy in the world’s premier football tournament.