No player in World Cup history has been called up more times
Across two decades and six tournaments, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have come to represent something rarer than trophies — the refusal of time to diminish greatness. With Argentina's 2026 World Cup squad announced on May 28, Messi joins Ronaldo as the most-selected players in the tournament's history, each named to six editions of the sport's greatest stage. As defending champions, Argentina arrives in North America carrying both the weight of expectation and the quiet awareness that this may be the last time the world watches these two figures compete for football's highest honor.
- A hamstring injury suffered just days before the squad announcement cast real doubt over whether Messi would make the cut at all.
- Medical tests cleared him of structural damage, but the diagnosis of muscle fatigue left his match fitness genuinely uncertain heading into June.
- Argentina's coaching staff chose inclusion over caution, betting on the symbolic and tactical irreplaceability of their 39-year-old captain.
- The squad itself is deep and balanced — European club talent anchoring defense and midfield, with a forward line capable of carrying the load if Messi is managed carefully.
- The record shared with Ronaldo reframes what had long been a rivalry into something closer to a shared legacy — two men who simply refused to leave the stage.
On May 28, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni named his squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and with Messi's inclusion came a milestone: his sixth selection to the tournament, matching Cristiano Ronaldo and placing both men alone at the top of a record no one else in the sport's history has reached. The next closest — Antonio Carbajal, Andrés Guardado, Rafael Márquez, and Lothar Matthäus — each reached five. This distinction belongs now to two players who have defined an era together.
The announcement did not come without anxiety. Four days earlier, during an MLS match between Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union, Messi left the pitch gripping his left hamstring after taking a free kick. The image alarmed fans worldwide. Inter Miami's medical staff subsequently reported no structural damage, but diagnosed muscle fatigue and overload — offering no return timeline and leaving his fitness an open question as the tournament approaches its June 11 opening.
Argentina's squad is built to contend regardless. Emiliano Martínez anchors the goalkeeping group, while Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, and Nicolás Otamendi form a defense drawn from Europe's elite clubs. The midfield features Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, and Rodrigo de Paul, with Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez leading the attack. The defending champions arrive in North America seeking a fourth world title.
But the tournament's deeper resonance lies elsewhere. Messi is 39; Ronaldo, 41. Both may be playing their final World Cup. Their sixth selections are less a statistic than a closing statement — the end of a rivalry and a generation that reshaped how the world understands football greatness. Whether either lifts the trophy again, 2026 will be remembered as the moment an era finally took its bow.
Lionel Messi will play in his sixth FIFA World Cup. Argentina's manager Lionel Scaloni announced the squad on May 28, and with that announcement, Messi reached a milestone he shares with only one other player in the history of the sport: Cristiano Ronaldo. Both men have now been selected for six World Cups. The tournament begins June 11 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and Argentina arrives as defending champions, seeking a fourth title in their history.
Messi's previous five World Cup appearances came in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. Ronaldo's selections span the same years, with both players named to their respective national squads for 2026. No player in World Cup history has been called up more times. The next closest are three Mexicans—Antonio Carbajal, Andrés Guardado, and Rafael Márquez—each with five selections. Lothar Matthäus of Germany also reached five. The record belongs now to these two men alone, a distinction that underscores not just their longevity but their sustained excellence across two decades of international football.
The inclusion comes with a small cloud of concern. On May 24, during an MLS match between Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union, Messi left the field holding his left hamstring after taking a free kick. The injury created immediate anxiety among Argentina fans with the World Cup days away. Inter Miami released a statement the following day indicating that medical tests showed no major structural damage, though the club diagnosed muscle fatigue and overload in the hamstring. No timeline for his return was provided, leaving his fitness status uncertain heading into the tournament.
Argentina's full squad reflects a blend of experience and youth. The goalkeeping contingent includes Emiliano Martínez of Aston Villa, Gerónimo Rulli from Marseille, and Juan Musso of Atlético Madrid. The defense draws from Europe's top clubs: Cristian Romero at Tottenham, Lisandro Martínez at Manchester United, Nicolás Otamendi at Benfica, and Nahuel Molina at Atlético Madrid, among others. The midfield features Enzo Fernández of Chelsea, Alexis Mac Allister from Liverpool, and Rodrigo de Paul, now at Inter Miami. The forward line includes Lautaro Martínez of Inter Milan, Julián Álvarez from Atlético Madrid, and Nicolás González, also at Atlético Madrid.
Messi's presence in the squad carries symbolic weight beyond statistics. At 39 years old, he may be playing in his final World Cup, as may Ronaldo at 41. Both have defined an era of football—one of sustained dominance, individual brilliance, and the kind of longevity that seemed impossible when they first emerged in the mid-2000s. Their sixth selections represent not just a record, but a closing chapter to a rivalry and a generation that has shaped how the world watches the sport. Whether either will lift the trophy again remains uncertain, but their presence alone signals that 2026 will be a tournament marked by the end of an age.
Citas Notables
The timeline for his return to physical activity will depend on his clinical and functional progress— Inter Miami CF statement on Messi's hamstring injury
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does it matter that Messi and Ronaldo both reach six World Cups? They're just numbers.
Because no one else has ever done it. Not once in the entire history of the tournament. Five appearances was the ceiling for decades. These two broke through it together, which is remarkable given they've spent their careers as rivals.
But Messi's hamstring is bothering him. Does that change what this record means?
It complicates the story. The record is already set—he's been selected. But whether he can actually perform at the level he needs to in a World Cup, that's the real test. The selection is one thing. Playing is another.
Is this their last World Cup?
Almost certainly. Messi is 39, Ronaldo is 41. The physical demands of a World Cup are immense. Both have said they want to compete at the highest level, and once they can't, they'll step away. 2026 might be the last time we see either of them in this tournament.
What does Argentina need from Messi to win again?
They're defending champions, so they have momentum. But Messi can't carry them alone anymore. He needs the midfield and forwards around him to function. If he's healthy and sharp, he's still a difference-maker. If the hamstring lingers, it becomes a liability.