Messi at World Cup 2026: Can He Win It One More Time?

Lionel Messi continues to defy soccer history. The 39-year-old superstar has been absolutely unstoppable at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, leading the scoring charts with eight goals in five matches and carrying Argentina all the way to the quarter-finals.

La Albiceleste are one of the top teams in the world and are clear-cut title contenders. But can Messi lead this squad to another World Cup in what could be his final appearance on soccer’s biggest stage?

Lionel Messi’s World Cup 2026 Stats — The Record-Breaking Numbers

Source: Sofascore

The numbers speak for themselves. Messi is flat-out dominating the competition at an age where most elite soccer players are no longer active at the international level. He’s doing things we’ve never seen another 39-year-old player do at this stage.

Records Lionel Messi Has Broken at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

• First player to score 21 career WC goals (all-time men’s record)
• First player to score in eight consecutive WC appearances
• First player to score seven or more goals in two different World Cups (2022 and 2026)
• Joint record: first male player to appear at six World Cups (alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Guillermo Ochoa)

From 18 to 39 — Lionel Messi’s Six World Cup Campaigns

* Stats as of July 8, 2026

Messi’s trajectory at the World Cup wasn’t the same as that of legends such as Pelé or Neymar, who were starters with their teams right away. Messi was a substitute at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, but he’s been a key piece for the Albiceleste setup since the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Remarkably, he’s found a new gear in his 30s. Messi has scored 15 of his 21 World Cup goals across the last two editions of the tournament. He’s been so dominant that fans are already thinking whether he can be back with the national team for the 2030 World Cup — which will have Argentina playing the group stage in their country.

What Records Can Messi Still Break at World Cup 2026?

1. Most goals by an Argentine at a single World Cup — Guillermo Stábile scored eight in the very first World Cup (1930), and this record hasn’t been touched since. Messi came close to matching it in Qatar four years ago and already hit the threshold with his goal against Egypt. If he scores against Switzerland in the quarter-finals, he’ll become the outright record holder.
2. Most goals by a South American at a single World Cup — If you thought Pelé or Ronaldo held this record, you were wrong. This belongs to Ademir, who scored nine goals for Brazil at the 1950 World Cup. If Messi scores two more goals at this tournament, he’ll break a record that has stood for 76 years.
3. The Golden Boot — Messi leads the way with eight goals, but Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane are close behind. Every goal from here on could determine the outcome of the Golden Boot race. Messi has never been the top scorer in a World Cup — he came close in 2022 with seven goals but was edged by Mbappé, who finished with eight.

Argentina have at least one more match remaining at the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they take on Switzerland in the quarter-finals on Saturday, July 11, and three more if they advance. Based on Messi’s form, these three records are certainly within reach.

Can Messi Win the World Cup Again? Argentina vs Switzerland & TonyBet Odds

Argentina are heavy favourites to defeat Switzerland in this quarter-final match (-143 at TonyBet) and would meet the winner of France vs Morocco in the semi-finals.

Messi has a positive history against La Nati, having created nine chances (personal-best mark) in their win at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Lionel Scaloni’s men are heavy favourites not only because of Messi, though. They’ve won every one of their five matches and have found a way to fight back when things have gotten complicated.

They survived a tense encounter against Cape Verde before completing one of the biggest comebacks in World Cup history against Egypt, winning 3-2 after trailing 0-2 in the 78th minute. No other FIFA World Cup reigning champions had achieved that.

Messi’s influence has been massive. La Albiceleste have scored 14 goals at this World Cup, and he has been directly involved in nine of them, with two of the team’s goals scored without his involvement coming against Jordan when he wasn’t on the field. Overall, Messi has contributed directly to 64.2% of Argentina’s goals in the current campaign.

TonyBet Odds

• Argentina to win World Cup 2026: +401 (Tonybet)
• Verdict: Fair price

Argentina haven’t looked as dominant in attack as France, nor have they been as defensively solid as Spain, who have yet to concede a goal through five World Cup matches.

Having Messi certainly tips the scales in the team’s favour, but if we’re looking at the whole picture, it feels fair to rank Argentina as the third-most likely team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup winner odds.

World Cup Messi vs Mbappé vs Haaland — The Golden Boot Race

Messi is in the lead, but the margins are slim. Mbappe, Haaland, and Kane are all within striking distance. However, Haaland and Kane face each other in the quarter-finals, meaning one of them will be out after this round.

Messi needs to score in the quarter-finals and beyond to keep his lead intact. With the way Mbappe and Haaland have been finding the back of the net, his advantage at the top in the scoring charts isn’t safe by any means.

• Messi to win Golden Boot: +110 (Tonybet)

The GOAT Verdict — Is This the Greatest World Cup Career Ever?

The numbers don’t lie, and right now, Messi is the greatest player in FIFA World Cup history. He holds the record for most goals, most goal contributions, most goals + assists in knockout stages, and most World Cup appearances.

The only question that remains is whether he can defend the 2022 title. However, at this point, it would be foolish to even consider doubting Messi. He has proven his critics wrong time and time again.

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