Messi’s tournament journey stretches back to 2006, when he arrived as a teenager and a rising talent. Two decades later, he already owns the men’s record for World Cup appearances with 26, moving beyond Lothar Matthäus during Argentina’s triumphant run in Qatar.
That matters because his World Cup career has covered almost every version of the player:
Few players have had a World Cup arc that broad, or that public.
A sixth World Cup would not just add another line to Messi’s résumé. It would create a piece of football history untouched in the men’s game. Across men’s and women’s football, only a tiny handful of players have reached that territory.
There is also a competitive angle. Messi has never treated major tournaments as ceremonial appearances. Reports suggest he would only want to go if he felt sharp enough to contribute properly, and that distinction matters. A squad place is one thing; being ready for elite tournament football in his late 30s is another.
Argentina, under Lionel Scaloni, appear to have built a side strong enough to protect Messi from carrying the entire burden. That could be the key. If he is involved in 2026, it would likely be as a decisive presence rather than an every-minute focal point.
For now, the story is possibility, not confirmation. But that is enough to keep the football world watching. The next chapter will be shaped by Messi’s fitness, form and appetite - and by whether Argentina’s captain decides one final World Cup is still worth chasing.