Lionel Messi will make World Cup history when Argentina begins the defense of its title against Algeria on Tuesday night, becoming the first player in the history of the men’s tournament to play in a sixth.
Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have each been selected for a sixth World Cup this summer after both debuting in 2006, but it is Messi who will be first to actually play in the 2026 edition.
Ronaldo’s Portugal doesn’t start action until 14 hours later on Wednesday, against D.R. Congo.
Guillermo Ochoa, Mexico’s backup goalkeeper, is also present at a sixth World Cup but has been a backup twice already and stayed on the bench for last Thursday’s win against South Africa. He only actually featured in three—2014, 2018, 2022—but it’s no less of an achievement of longevity.
There had been some doubt about Messi’s involvement for Argentina against Algeria as a result of a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Inter Miami last month. Messi was substituted before the end of a 6–4 victory over the Philadelphia Union and has only played 20 minutes since—the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner appeared off the bench briefly in the warmup against Honduras.
Nevertheless, Messi will be involved as a starter, supported in the frontline by Lautaro Martínez and Thiago Almada. The 38-year-old, who celebrates his birthday two days after Argentina’s next match against Austria on June 22, captains the team.
Messi’s World Cup Record for Tournament Appearances
The current record for the most men’s World Cup tournaments played is five. Messi and Ronaldo equaled that mark, originally set in 1966 by Mexico legend Antonio Carbajal, in 2022 Qatar.
Andrés Guardado also reached five in 2022 but retired from Mexico duty two years ago. Another Mexican, Rafael Márquez, played in a fifth World Cup in 2018, while Germany’s Lothar Matthäus achieved that milestone in 1998.
In women’s soccer, Marta (Brazil), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Homare Sawa (Japan) and Onome Ebi (Nigeria) have all made appearances in six different World Cup tournaments. But the record belongs to Brazil’s Formiga, who played in seven from 1995–2019.
As far as individual World Cup matches is concerned, Messi broke the men’s record when he steered Argentina to victory over France in 2022 final. That was his 26th overall, surpassing Matthäus’s previous benchmark of 25 that had stood since 1998.
Messi will extend that record in 2026, potentially to 34 if Argentina reaches the final again and he plays in every match. Alternatively, should the unthinkable happen and Argentina fails to progress from the group stage, the record is vulnerable to Cristiano Ronaldo if Portugal go deep this summer. Ronaldo is on 22 World Cup matches and could overtake Messi if he plays eight times while Messi only adds three.
