Messi at 33 games: he has "shattered" World Cup records

Lionel Messi took the field against England in the 2026 World Cup semi-final, breaking yet another record in the history of the tournament. For the 39-year-old Argentine, this was his 33rd appearance at the World Cup — his closest pursuer is now trailing far behind.

The match against England wrote new history

Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the semi-final, advancing to the World Cup final for the second consecutive time. Although Lionel Messi did not score in this match, he provided assists for both of his team's goals, becoming one of the main heroes of the comeback.

This match went down in history as Messi's 33rd game in World Cups. He had broken Lothar Matthäus's previous record by playing his 26th match in the 2022 final. His run in the 2026 World Cup has pushed this figure to an even higher point.

How many games did Ronaldo and Matthäus play?

Cristiano Ronaldo finished his participation in the 2026 World Cup with a total of 27 appearances. Even though the Portuguese player has participated in this tournament six times, he remains six games behind Messi.

If he takes the field in the final against Spain, Messi will extend his record to 34 matches. Given the current format and the player's age, this result may be very difficult to break in the coming years.

First in history with 21 goals as well

Messi's records are not limited to the number of games. During the 2026 World Cup, he brought his total number of goals in the tournament to 21, becoming the top scorer in World Cup history. According to Reuters, he has far surpassed the 16-goal record of German legend Miroslav Klose.

The 39-year-old player scored 8 goals in the 2026 tournament alone. This result shows not only that he has remained at a high level for many years, but also that he remains the main force for Argentina in decisive matches.

Two assists against England brought another record

In the semi-final against England, Messi provided assists for goals by Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez. Thus, his total number of assists in World Cups reached 12, becoming the highest figure in the history of the competition.

Messi is also one of the few players to have participated in six World Cups. His journey in the tournament began in 2006, and 20 years later, it continues all the way to the final.

The third World Cup final of his career

The match against Spain will be Messi's third final in the World Cup. He lost the decisive match against Germany in 2014, and in 2022, he won the main trophy after a penalty shootout victory over France.

Now, Argentina has the chance to become champion for the second time in a row. If Scaloni's team defeats Spain, it will become the first national team to repeat this result since Brazil, which won consecutive titles in 1958 and 1962.

Messi and Yamal clash in the final

In the 2026 World Cup final, the reigning champion Argentina will face one of Europe's most consistent teams — Spain. While Spain defeated France 2-0 in the semi-final, Argentina snatched victory against England in the final minutes.

In the decisive match, 39-year-old Messi and 19-year-old Lamine Yamal will face off. This match is expected to be a symbolic clash between two eras of football — a legend who has already written history and a new generation just stepping onto the big stage.

How many more records will the final bring?

Messi has already tied his name to records for games, goals, and assists in the 2026 World Cup. In the final against Spain, he could play his 34th match and further increase his goal or assist tallies.

But the biggest goal is not personal statistics. For the Argentina captain, the main task is to lead his team to become world champions for the second time in a row.

Do you think Lionel Messi can set another decisive record in the final against Spain?