Messi's world: Breaking down the star's World Cup records and stats for Argentina

Lionel Messi, 38, is set to compete in his sixth FIFA World Cup in 2026, held in North America, after leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title with a brace in the final against France. He holds the record for most World Cup caps (26 matches) and most minutes played in the tournament's history, surpassing Germany's Lothar Matthäus and Italy's Paolo Maldini respectively. Argentina aims to become the first back-to-back World Cup champions in over 60 years, a feat that would require matching Brazil's 1958 and 1962 consecutive titles.