Lionel Messi raised the bar as soon as once more with an impressive 2025 season for each Inter Miami and the Argentina nationwide crew, breaking information and additional extending his legacy with objectives, assists, and silverware. With 2026 approaching, the ahead enters the yr with a number of alternatives so as to add much more milestones to an already unmatched résumé.
Regardless of turning 38 in June, Messi continued to rewrite the file books. In Main League Soccer, the Argentine turned the primary participant to attain a number of objectives in consecutive matches throughout six straight video games, recording 12 objectives in that span, all of them braces.
These performances additionally helped him set the file for probably the most Participant of the Month and Participant of the Matchday awards in a single MLS season, whereas turning into the primary participant to surpass 35 objective contributions (objectives and assists) in back-to-back league campaigns. The crowning achievement got here when Messi turned the primary participant to win the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award in consecutive seasons.
What information might Messi break within the 2026 World Cup?
After lifting the World Cup trophy in Qatar in 2022, Argentina‘s Lionel Messi enters 2026 with an opportunity not solely to defend his standing as a reigning champion but in addition so as to add a number of historic achievements. One of the vital notable can be showing in 5 completely different World Cup editions, a milestone he might share with Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa.
Lionel Messi of Argentina.
On the subject of distinctive information, Messi might turn out to be the primary participant to win two World Cups whereas sporting the captain’s armband, a feat nobody has beforehand achieved. That situation would additionally permit him to increase his file because the participant with probably the most World Cup appearances (at present 26) and probably problem the match’s all-time scoring mark, as he sits on 13 objectives, trailing Ronaldo Nazário (15) and Miroslav Klose (16).
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One other outstanding risk would see Messi turn out to be the primary participant to look in three World Cup finals, following his appearances in 2014 and 2022, with one other alternative awaiting in 2026. Whereas Pelé received three World Cups, he featured in solely two matches in the course of the 1962 match earlier than harm sidelined him for the ultimate, including additional weight to the distinctiveness of Messi’s potential achievement.
A singular likelihood at Inter Miami
The 2025 season was already a powerful success for Messi at Inter Miami, highlighted by elite performances throughout a number of competitions, together with the FIFA Membership World Cup, and capped off with an MLS Cup title. Whereas he already stands because the membership’s all-time main scorer, further league historical past stays inside attain.
Messi might turn out to be the primary participant in MLS historical past to win the Golden Boot in consecutive seasons. In 2025, he completed atop the scoring chart with 29 regular-season objectives, edging out Denis Bouanga and Sam Surridge, whereas including six extra within the postseason. Repeating that feat in 2026 would place him alone in league historical past.
A private milestone nonetheless inside attain
Sitting at 896 profession objectives, Messi is closing in on the 900-goal mark, whereas additionally having cemented his place as probably the most prolific assister in soccer historical past with 407 assists, surpassing Ferenc Puskás. Nonetheless, one other particular person file stays firmly in his sights heading into 2026.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF scoring a free kick towards Porto.
Messi at present has 69 profession free-kick objectives, trailing famend specialists similar to Juninho Pernambucano (72) and Marcelinho (78). In 2018, he loved his most efficient free-kick season with 10 objectives, and an analogous return in 2026 might see the Argentine star climb to the highest of one more iconic all-time record.
