Lionel Messi keeps pushing himself to new heights at the 2026 World Cup.
The 39-year-old scored his 20th World Cup goal during Friday night’s enthralling win over Cabo Verde, extending his own record set earlier in the tournament—remarkably, 14 of those have come since turning 35. Messi is currently on a streak of eight successive World Cup matches with a goal. He also became the first player—male or female—to score seven or more goals in two World Cup.
Beyond the confines of the World Cup, Messi’s appearance for Argentina against Cabo Verde was his 203rd for the national team at senior level. That is already an Argentina record that will likely never be touched—Messi is 56 ahead of Javier Mascherano in second place, all-time.
Overall, Messi is now second for senior national team appearances in men’s soccer.
He tied Kuwait forward Bader al-Mutawa on 202 caps by coming off the bench against Jordan during the World Cup group stage. Luka Modrić then also moved onto 202 when he played in Croatia’s round of 32 defeat to Portugal in the last few days.
Messi moved ahead of both on Friday. Long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo is the only man that has played in more senior international soccer matches. His appearance against Croatia was a 232nd for Portugal, a number which will keep growing as long as he’s in the World Cup.
However, 41-year-old Ronaldo is expected to retire from Portugal duty after the tournament, both tipped by his sister to do so and a natural stopping point when his career as a whole is increasingly unlikely to extend beyond 2027. So, his record won’t grow by much 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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