17/06/2026 12:04 - Deportes
Lionel Messi celebrando un gol en el estadio de Kansas City con la camiseta argentina, manos al cielo, estadio repleto de hinchas albicelestes con banderas, noche iluminada, momento de euforia histórica
On June 16, 2026, a date etched in football history, Lionel Messi stepped onto the pitch at Kansas City Stadium to become the first player ever to participate in six World Cups. This feat breaks a record previously shared by a handful of legends who managed five tournaments.
The star, born in Rosario, Argentina, and known globally as 'La Pulga' (The Flea) for his agility, will turn 39 on June 24. His World Cup journey began in Germany 2006 as a teenager. Since then, he has represented his nation in South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 (where he lifted the trophy), and now North America 2026.
Before Messi's historic achievement, these legends shared the record for most World Cup appearances:
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo could join this exclusive six-tournament club on June 17, 2026, when Portugal debuts against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, Messi has won this specific race against time by a matter of hours.
Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa was also called up for a potential sixth World Cup, but having not played in all previous tournaments, he does not hold the active appearance record.
In this historic match, Messi also earned his 200th cap for the Argentina National Team (La Albiceleste), where he is the all-time top scorer with 117 goals. Furthermore, his hat-trick against Algeria brought his World Cup goal tally to 16, equaling Miroslav Klose as the all-time top scorer in the tournament's history.
The Kansas City Stadium, packed with 70,000 fans, witnessed this momentous occasion, with Argentine supporters cheering their idol from the warm-up.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
