7M - Messi Eyes Unprecedented Historic World Cup Milestones

By securing a spot in Argentina's starting lineup for the 2026 tournament decider, Lionel Messi is poised to rewrite soccer history. The iconic Argentine captain will stand alone as the first footballer ever to start in three separate FIFA World Cup finals.

The Inter Miami superstar previously featured in the starting XI during the 2014 showpiece, which ended in a 1-0 extra-time defeat to Germany, and the legendary 2022 final, where Argentina defeated France on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw. With this third start, Messi will eclipse Brazilian legend Cafu. While Cafu played in three consecutive finals from 1994 to 2002, he did not start the 1994 match, having entered the field as a substitute.

Beyond this longevity milestone, Messi is also chasing an elite scoring record. Having found the net twice against France in the 2022 final, a goal in the 2026 title match would make him only the third player in history to score in consecutive World Cup finals. To date, this rare feat has only been achieved by Brazil's Vava in 1958 and 1962, and France's Kylian Mbappe in 2018 and 2022.