Lionel Messi has spent more than two decades rewriting football history, but the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain could provide the stage for perhaps his most extraordinary chapter yet.
Argentina are set to face Spain with the biggest prize in international football on the line, and for the 39-year-old Messi, the occasion could be about much more than defending the World Cup crown. From goalscoring milestones to captaincy history, the Argentine icon has several remarkable records within reach.
Here are Ten records Lionel Messi could break or equal during the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain.
1. Messi Can Equal Cafu's Record of Playing in Three World Cup Finals
Messi is set to join Brazil legend Cafu as the only male player to feature in three FIFA World Cup finals.
The Argentine started the 2014 final, where Germany defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time, before captaining his country to glory against France in the unforgettable 2022 final.
An appearance against Spain would therefore mark Messi's third World Cup final, matching another historic benchmark on the biggest stage.
2. Messi Could Win His First World Cup Golden Boot
One major individual prize has so far eluded Messi: the World Cup Golden Boot.
Messi and Kylian Mbappé entered the tournament's final two matches level on eight goals, with the Argentine ahead on the assists tiebreaker. However, Mbappé scored twice in France's 6-4 third-place playoff defeat to England, taking his tally to 10.
Messi now needs a huge performance in the final to catch or surpass Mbappé and potentially claim his first Golden Boot.
3. Lionel Messi can become First Golden Boot Winner From a World Cup Winning Side Since 2002
Messi winning the Golden Boot Would also mean he could become the first Golden Boot winner from the world champions since Ronaldo Nazário, who scored eight goals during Brazil's 2002 triumph and won the award.
4. Messi Could Become the First Captain to Win Two World Cups
Perhaps the biggest record available to Messi is one no men's captain has ever achieved.
Having captained Argentina to glory in 2022, Messi could become the first player to captain his country to two FIFA World Cup titles.
Several players, including Giuseppe Meazza, Bellini, Mauro, Cafu and Daniel Passarella, have been part of two World Cup-winning squads. However, none captained their nation to victory on both occasions.
5. Messi Could Become the First Captain to Win the 48-Team World Cup
The expanded 2026 World Cup introduced a 48-team format for the first time.
That means if Argentina defeat Spain, Messi would enter the history books as the first captain to lift the World Cup trophy in the new 48-team era.
Having already captained Argentina to victory in the previous 32-team format in 2022, Messi would uniquely bridge two different eras of the competition.
6. Messi Can Become the Oldest Outfield Player in a World Cup Final
At 39, Messi is also set to make history simply by stepping onto the pitch.
The Argentina captain would become the oldest outfield player ever to feature in a FIFA World Cup final, adding another remarkable longevity record to a career that has stretched across multiple generations of football.
7. Messi Could Become the Oldest World Cup Final Goalscorer
Scoring against Spain would bring another historic milestone.
The record for the oldest player to score in a men's World Cup final is held by Sweden's Nils Liedholm, who found the net against Brazil in 1958 at the age of 35 years and 264 days.
At 39, a Messi goal would comfortably surpass that record.
8. Messi Could Score Three Free Kicks at a Single World Cup
No player has ever scored three direct free-kick goals at a single edition of the FIFA World Cup.
Messi already has two at the 2026 tournament, meaning one more spectacular set-piece strike against Spain would make him the first player to reach the milestone.
9. Messi Could Reclaim the All-Time World Cup Goalscoring Record
The battle between Messi and Mbappé extends beyond the 2026 Golden Boot.
Messi previously stood as the World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 21 goals, but Mbappé's brace against England moved the Frenchman onto 22.
One goal against Spain would see Messi draw level with Mbappé, while a brace would move the Argentine back ahead as the outright record holder.
10. Messi Can Extend His World Cup Appearance and Captaincy Records
Finally, Messi has the opportunity to push two of his existing records even further out of reach.
The Argentine already holds the records for the most appearances in FIFA World Cup history and the most World Cup matches played as captain.
Taking the field against Spain would extend both landmarks, and if Messi can finish the night by lifting the trophy again, his record-breaking World Cup journey could receive the ultimate fairytale ending.
Also Read | Lionel Messi FIFA World Cup Record
