00:00the 2026 world cup could represent another milestone in lionel messi's career beyond
00:06performance the focus is on the records the argentine captain could reach if he decides to
00:10take part in the tournament hosted by the united states mexico and canada messi has already played
00:17in five world cups germany 2006 south africa 2010 brazil 2014 russia 2018 and qatar 2022
00:29that consistency places him among a small group of players with five appearances but 2026 could
00:35take him even further six world cups would be a historic milestone for lionel messi he could
00:41become one of the first players in history to appear in six world cups a milestone cristiano
00:47ronaldo could also reach in 2026 the current record stands at five shared by several players across
00:54generations the same will apply to cristiano ronaldo reaching six would highlight not only his
01:01longevity but also his ability to remain competitive at the highest level for two decades
01:06messi already holds the record for most world cup matches played with 26 appearances between 2006 and
01:132022 with the expanded 48 team format and 104 matches in 2026 there will be more opportunities
01:22to increase that number if argentina advances deep into the tournament and messi plays regularly
01:27his record could become even more difficult to surpass in terms of goals messi is also within
01:34reach of another historic milestone he has scored 13 goals in world cups placing him among the top
01:41scores in tournament history the record belongs to miroslav close with 16 goals the gap is three goals
01:48to tie close and four to surpass him meaning one strong tournament could put messi within reach of the
01:53all-time record beyond the main numbers messi could also extend records related to assists minutes played
02:00and direct goal contributions with a longer and more demanding format
02:05the physical challenge will be greater than in previous tournaments
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