TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Lionel Messi's reputation as one of football's greatest players is beyond dispute. On Tuesday, the Argentine superstar added yet another milestone to his illustrious career by becoming the first man to play in six FIFA World Cups.
Messi stepped into the history books after being named in the starting lineup for the nation's 2026 World Cup opener against Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri. In doing so, Messi moved ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, Antonio Carbajal, Andrés Guardado, Rafael Márquez, and Lothar Matthäus, who had all previously shared the record with five World Cup appearances. Soon enough, Ronaldo is set to join Messi on the six-tournament list when Portugal takes on DR Congo on Wednesday.
The appearance also marked his 200th cap for Argentina and his 27th World Cup match, coming exactly 20 years to the day after his tournament debut, according to statistics from ESPN and Al Jazeera.
The milestone became even more memorable as the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner scored a hat-trick to lead Argentina to a 3-0 victory, with the first goal arriving in the 17th minute. The three-goal performance also saw him draw level with legendary German striker Miroslav Klose as the World Cup top scorer with 16 goals.
Since making his debut as an 18-year-old prodigy, Messi's World Cup journey has been filled with milestones. Having once been Argentina's youngest-ever goalscorer, he now holds the record as the nation's oldest scorer at the tournament. Four years ago, Messi captained his country to World Cup glory in Qatar, scoring seven goals and receiving the Golden Ball award as the competition’s best player.
According to sports media outlet The Score, the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be Messi's final appearance at the global tournament stage.
Read: Top 5 World Cup Goal Scorers: Messi Joins Klose After Historic Hat-Trick
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