Lionel Messi continues to expand his impact on World Cup history, not only as a champion in Qatar 2022 but also as the owner of some of the tournament's most important records. This Friday at the John F. Kennedy Center in the U.S. capital of Washington, with coverage by the Argentine News Agency (NA), the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) held the draw for the World Cup, which will be played next June in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Argentine national team tops Group J, where it will face Algeria in its debut in Kansas, Austria in the second match, and Jordan in the final, both in Dallas. With his performance in the final against France, the Argentine captain reached 26 matches played in World Cups, becoming the player with the most appearances in the history of the tournament, a mark certified by Guinness World Records and recognized by the Argentine Football Association (AFA). With that figure, Messi surpassed a record that had been in the hands of German Lothar Matthäus for nearly three decades, who had set the limit at 25 matches. In this scenario, he could even become a two-time world champion or, if he loses the decisive match, a two-time runner-up, something no Argentine footballer has achieved so far. In a potential final World Cup, Messi would also have the opportunity to break records related to longevity, such as becoming the oldest Argentine goalscorer in the history of the tournament, as well as increasing his lead as his country's player with the most appearances, minutes, and participations in consecutive editions. The final in Lusail not only gave Messi his long-awaited World Cup but also absolute leadership in the most representative statistic for a footballer in the world's biggest stage. And, if he decides to continue, he could still be expanding his legacy. Records Messi could still break at the 2026 World Cup If he decides to play in the next World Cup, Lionel Messi would have the chance to continue expanding his legacy in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. If Argentina advances in the tournament, the captain could reach or come very close to that maximum mark. He also has the possibility of achieving an unprecedented feat: becoming a World Cup finalist for the third time (2014, 2022, and potentially 2026). No Argentine scored more than him across the five editions he played (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022). With 13 goals, Messi is behind Miroslav Klose (16) and Ronaldo Nazario (15). Both Guinness and AFA highlighted the milestone as one of the most significant achievements of the Rosario native's career. Furthermore, Messi is the Argentine player with the most World Cup appearances of all time, another mark validated by the AFA, and he became the top national scorer in World Cups with 13 goals, according to consolidated records after Qatar 2022. What he built over nearly two decades not only broke statistics: it redefined the dimension a player can reach in the planet's most important tournament. The first possible record would be the most matches in World Cup history: he already leads with 26, but could stretch that figure to over 30 matches, a record that would set the bar at a height almost unattainable for future generations. Another potential goal is to get even closer to the all-time record for goals in World Cups.
