Lionel Messi at the FIFA World Cup for Argentina: Stats
What's the story
Lionel Messi, the legendary Argentine footballer, announced his retirement from international football. The Inter Miami star confirmed his decision in an emotional social media post. He said that leaving was a painful but right decision for him. Messi expressed his love for the national team and commitment to giving his all during his career with them. The captain also noted that younger players deserve opportunities to represent Argentina on the global stage. We decode his performance at the World Cup.
Record breaker
Messi has appeared in in six World Cups
Messi has appeared in 6th World Cup. He played in the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026 editions respectively.
He was a runner-up in 2014 and then won the 2022 edition. He once again ended as runner-up in 2026.
With 34 appearances, Messi is the highest capped player in the tournament's history.
He won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball in 2014, 2022 and FIFA World Cup Silver Boot in 2022 and 2026.
He also won the Silver Ball in 2026.
Retirement announcement
Messi owns 21 WC goals and is most capped player
Messi has finished his career with 21 World Cup goals.
It's the 2nd-highest after France's Kylian Mbappe, who owns a total of 22 World Cup goals.
In terms of playing the most matches in World Cup history, Messi tops the list with 34.
Cristiano Ronaldo is next with 27 appearances.
Lothar Matthäus is the only other player with 25-plus appearances (25).
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12 assists for Messi at the World Cup
Messi managed a whopping 65 assists for Argentina across all competitions, including 12 at the World Cup. Interestingly, Messi has recorded the most assists in the knockout rounds (10). He has also made an assist in 6 different World Cup campaigns which is a record.
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Breaking down Messi's World Cup goals tournament wise
Messi scored a goal in his World Cup tournament debut in 2006. After firing blanks in 2010, he scored 4 times in 2014. In 2018, Messi managed one goal. He had a dream 2022 World Cup campaign, scoring 7 times. And in 2026, he managed 8 goals.