Lionel Messi's 6th and final World Cup with defending champions Argentina
Predictions, odds, key stats & storylines
At 38 years old, Lionel Messi is going to his 6th World Cup — tying Cristiano Ronaldo and Lothar Matthaus for the all-time record. He arrives as the reigning World Cup champion after Argentina's 2022 triumph in Qatar, where he won the Golden Ball and finally lifted the trophy that defined his career.
This is unambiguously the last one. Messi has confirmed it. The question isn't whether he'll retire from international football after — it's whether he can go out on top.
Argentina are favourites at 9.00 to win World Cup 2026 — the same odds as Brazil. Group J (Algeria, Austria, Jordan) looks navigable. The expansion to 48 teams gives a kinder path to the knockouts. The Albiceleste have built around Messi and continue to do so, even at 38.
Messi has scored at every World Cup since 2006, becoming only the third player (after Pele and Uwe Seeler) to do so. A goal in 2026 would make him unique in football history — scoring at 6 different World Cups.
The case FOR: Argentina won the Copa America in 2024 to follow up the World Cup. They've maintained a strong squad core: Lautaro Martinez (Inter), Julian Alvarez (Atletico), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Emiliano Martinez in goal. They're the only South American team consistently delivering.
The case AGAINST: No team has won back-to-back World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Messi at 38 cannot play 8 games at full intensity. The 48-team format adds an extra knockout round. Squad depth beyond the starting XI is a real concern.
AI prediction: Argentina to reach the semifinals (probability 65%). Final remains a coin flip between France, Spain, and an outsider.
Lionel Messi will be 38-39 during World Cup 2026 (born 24 June 1987). He turns 39 on the day Argentina play their third group game.
Yes, Messi has confirmed 2026 will be his final World Cup. He will retire from international football after the tournament.
2026 will be Messi's 6th World Cup (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026), tying Cristiano Ronaldo and Lothar Matthaus for the all-time record.
This is Lionel Messi's sixth world cup — and almost certainly the final one of his career. At age 38 heading into the tournament, the Argentina captain is in his GOAT-defining farewell. Only one other player in football history has appeared in 6 World Cups: Cristiano Ronaldo, who will also be in North America with Portugal.
Messi enters as the reigning World Cup winner from Qatar 2022, where he lifted the trophy in his 5th tournament after years of heartbreak. Argentina arrive as defending champions priced at 9.00 — the joint-fourth favorites alongside Brazil. Coach Lionel Scaloni still leads the project, with Javier Mascherano as a key figure in the technical staff. The squad spine remains intact: Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Emiliano Martinez. The question is no longer whether Argentina can win without Messi — it is whether Messi can win one final tournament for the legacy.
The messi farewell tournament narrative will dominate every Argentina match in North America. With Group J opponents Algeria, Austria and Jordan, Argentina group-stage path is among the friendliest. The real test arrives in the knockout rounds, where Messi body — already showing signs of strain — will face its toughest examination yet.
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