{"id":913144,"date":"2026-06-16T13:13:36","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T18:13:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/16\/lionel-messi-eyes-historic-world-cup-with-argentina-mlssoccer-com\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T13:13:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T18:13:36","slug":"lionel-messi-eyes-historic-world-cup-with-argentina-mlssoccer-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/16\/lionel-messi-eyes-historic-world-cup-with-argentina-mlssoccer-com\/","title":{"rendered":"Lionel Messi eyes historic World Cup with Argentina | MLSSoccer.com"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer <\/p>\n<div role=\"main\" id=\"main-content\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-label=\"Page main content\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\n<div data-bucket-name=\"main-content-before-middle-adv\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>All eyes will be on defending champions <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/players\/lionel-messi\/\">Lionel Messi<\/a> and Argentina at the 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/competitions\/fifa-world-cup\/\">FIFA World Cup<\/a>, perhaps more than any of his five previous tournament appearances.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Messi\u2019s joint-record sixth World Cup is expected to be his last, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/clubs\/inter-miami-cf\/\">Inter Miami CF<\/a>\u2019s superstar No. 10 has hinted on multiple occasions that he\u2019ll put an end to his legendary national team career after this summer\u2019s competition.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Ahead of Tuesday\u2019s Group J <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/competitions\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/matches\/argvsalg-06-16-2026\/\">opener<\/a> against Algeria (9 pm ET | FOX, Telemundo, Peacock), let\u2019s take a look at Messi\u2019s extraordinary run with Argentina and what could be a historic World Cup swan song.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The path to crowning a World Cup champion starts today. \ud83c\udfc6 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NsND3e9kiP\">pic.twitter.com\/NsND3e9kiP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MLS\/status\/2065086659834863645?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 11, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Messi is soccer\u2019s most decorated player of all time with <strong>47 major trophies<\/strong> between club and country, many of them coming in recent years with Argentina.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, the eight-time Ballon d\u2019Or winner has guided La Albiceleste to\u00a0<strong>four straight titles<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/p>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>2021 Copa Am\u00e9rica<\/li>\n<li>2022 Finalissima<\/li>\n<li>2022 World Cup<\/li>\n<li>2024 Copa Am\u00e9rica<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>This is in addition to runner-up finishes at the following major tournaments:\u00a0<\/p>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>2007 Copa Am\u00e9rica<\/li>\n<li>2014 World Cup<\/li>\n<li>2015 Copa Am\u00e9rica<\/li>\n<li>2016 Copa Am\u00e9rica<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p><strong>Messi or Maradona?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As legendary as Messi\u2019s tenure has been, the debate rages on whether he or the iconic Diego Armando Maradona is the country\u2019s best-ever player.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Just like Messi, Maradona led Argentina to World Cup glory (1986) and a runner-up finish (1990) while captivating an entire nation behind his technical brilliance and magnetic personality.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Equally brilliant but far more reserved character-wise, Messi could settle the debate this summer by winning back-to-back World Cup titles with Argentina.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Statistical dominance<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Statistically speaking, there is no debate: Messi reigns supreme with Argentina.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The 38-year-old dominates his country\u2019s record books in all major categories:<\/p>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>Goals: 117<\/li>\n<li>Penalty-kick goals: 25<\/li>\n<li>Assists: 64<\/li>\n<li>Appearances: 199<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83e\ude75\ud83e\udd0d\ud83d\udda4<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/InterMiamiCF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@InterMiamiCF<\/a>\u2019s Rodrigo De Paul and Leo Messi have been called up to defend the title for Argentina. \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf7 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KdX1dWSJsJ\">pic.twitter.com\/KdX1dWSJsJ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MLS\/status\/2060121035337281568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 28, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>The biggest players deliver on the biggest stages, and Messi has proven this time and again at the World Cup.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Messi is the only <strong>two-time World Cup Golden Ball winner<\/strong> \u2013 given to the competition\u2019s best overall player \u2013 taking the honors in 2014 and 2022.<\/p>\n<p>In the latter edition, he scored twice and converted from the penalty spot during an epic PK shootout win over France in what\u2019s considered the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/news\/thiago-almada-becomes-first-active-mls-player-to-win-a-world-cup-title\">greatest final<\/a> in World Cup history.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>World Cup records<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In total, Messi has 13g\/8a in 26 previous tournament appearances from 2006-22.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s just <strong>three goals shy<\/strong> of equalling Germany\u2019s Miroslav Klose\u2019s record of 16 World Cup goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The legendary No. 10 also boasts the following World Cup records:<\/p>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>World Cup appearances: 26<\/li>\n<li>World Cup appearances as captain: 19<\/li>\n<li>World Cup minutes played: 2,314+<\/li>\n<li>World Cup call-ups: 6<\/li>\n<li>World Cup Player of the Match awards: 11<\/li>\n<li>Only player to score in the World Cup in his teens, 20s and 30s<\/li>\n<li>Only player to register an assist in five World Cups.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>Of course, Messi&#8217;s ultimate goal is to win back-to-back World Cup titles with Argentina this summer. Only Italy (1934, &#8217;38) and Brazil (1958, &#8217;62) have achieved this feat.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The \ud83d\udc10 stays making and breaking <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FIFAWorldCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@FIFAWorldCup<\/a> records. \ud83d\ude2e\u200d\ud83d\udca8 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/xr8r4qyBV7\">pic.twitter.com\/xr8r4qyBV7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MLS\/status\/2061870464776241412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 2, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Messi is chasing back-to-back World Cup titles amid a dominant club career with Inter Miami.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Since his transformative July 2023 arrival in South Florida, the legendary No. 10 has guided the Herons to three trophies: Leagues Cup 2023, the 2024 MLS Supporters\u2019 Shield, and MLS Cup 2025 presented by Audi.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>He won the latter with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/players\/rodrigo-de-paul\/\">Rodrigo De Paul<\/a>, a fellow 2022 World Cup champion who\u2019s joining Messi once again on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/competitions\/fifa-world-cup\/news\/inter-miami-s-lionel-messi-rodrigo-de-paul-make-argentina-roster-for-2026-world-cup\">Argentina\u2019s 26-man squad<\/a> this summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>As with his national team, Messi\u2019s stats with Miami are unmatched:<\/p>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>90g\/51a in 104 Miami appearances (all competitions)<\/li>\n<li>2x Landon Donovan MLS MVP (2024, &#8217;25)<\/li>\n<li>2025 MLS Golden Boot pres. by Audi<\/li>\n<li>Fastest MLS player to 100 goal contributions (64 games)<\/li>\n<li>Most assists in a single MLS game (5)<\/li>\n<li>Most goal contributions in a single MLS game (6)<\/li>\n<li>Most goal contributions in a single MLS postseason (15)<\/li>\n<li>Most goal contributions in a single regular + postseason (63)<\/li>\n<li>First player in MLS history to record back-to-back seasons with 35+ goal contributions.<\/li>\n<li>First player in MLS history to record multiple goal contributions in five consecutive games.<\/li>\n<li>Most goal contributions (16) by any MLS player in the first seven matches of a season.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-toggle data-layout-name=\"grid_4-4-4\" data-bucket-name=\"main-content-after-middle-adv\">\n<div>\n<p>Get the latest from MLS: league news, must-see matches, kit drops, premium offers for the World\u2019s biggest event, and more!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/competitions\/fifa-world-cup\/news\/lionel-messi-eyes-historic-world-cup-argentina-inter-miami\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a>Buffy Schewe<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer All eyes will be on defending champions Lionel Messi and Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, perhaps more than any of his five previous tournament appearances. Messi\u2019s joint-record sixth World Cup is expected to be his last, as Inter Miami CF\u2019s superstar No. 10 has hinted on multiple occasions that he\u2019ll put an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":913145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22672,22673,2005],"tags":[82301,42860],"class_list":["post-913144","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-lionel","category-messi","category-soccer","tag-lionel","tag-messi"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/913144","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=913144"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/913144\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/913145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=913144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=913144"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=913144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}