According to Spanish outlet Marca, three players are expected to make their sixth World Cup appearance this summer in the US, Mexico, and Canada. However, only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo can truly claim “exclusive rights” to this historic milestone.
The Exclusive “6 World Cups Club” and the Final Dance
Alongside Messi and Ronaldo, the third player poised to join the elite six-tournament club is veteran Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa (40 years old). Yet, as Marca points out, the difference between merely being present and being a protagonist at the tournament is vast.
If Ochoa attends the World Cup, his role will likely be that of a dressing room advisor and an “on-pitch coach” for co-hosts Mexico, rather than the starting goalkeeper. The veteran has only started three matches for his club across his last five tournaments. Therefore, while the record books will recognize Ochoa’s sixth appearance, the nature of Messi and Ronaldo’s participation is entirely different. Both remain absolutely indispensable figures for their national teams, Argentina and Portugal.
“Messi and Ronaldo will essentially ‘monopolize’ the record in the 6 World Cups Club. Nobody can deny this. They will undoubtedly go down in World Cup history as the players with the most appearances, the most matches played, and the biggest names embarking on their final dance on the world’s most prestigious football stage,” Marca emphasized.
Chasing Unprecedented Milestones
With the 2026 World Cup just over two months away, the global football community is bracing for the largest tournament in FIFA history, featuring 48 teams for the first time. While the group stage matchups are already set, the narrative is heavily dominated by the pursuit of individual immortality.
Throughout the previous 22 World Cups, legends like Pelé, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, and Zinedine Zidane shaped the sport. Yet, only an exclusive group of 14 players has ever crossed the 20-match threshold. Currently, Messi sits at the very top of the mountain with 26 World Cup appearances—a record he secured during his triumphant 2022 campaign in Qatar, surpassing German legend Lothar Matthäus (25 matches).
Trailing them are Miroslav Klose (24 matches), Italian icon Paolo Maldini (23 matches), and Cristiano Ronaldo (22 matches). If Portugal advances deep into the knockout stages this summer, Ronaldo will easily climb to second place on the all-time appearance list.
The Ultimate Goalscoring Race
For Messi, extending his appearance record is just one piece of the puzzle. The Argentine maestro has another massive milestone in his sights: dethroning Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.
Messi currently has 13 World Cup goals, tying him for fourth place alongside French legend Just Fontaine. He sits just behind Gerd Müller (14), Ronaldo Nazário (15), and Klose (16). With Argentina drawn into a favorable group stage against Austria, Algeria, and Jordan, there is a very real possibility that Messi could equal or break Klose’s record within the opening rounds.
For Ronaldo, breaking the goalscoring record is a much steeper climb. Despite his 22 appearances, the 41-year-old currently has 8 World Cup goals. While he will certainly look to add to his tally, his ultimate objective remains crystal clear: capturing Portugal’s first-ever World Cup trophy.
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The Next Generation Waiting in the Wings
Looking ahead, only one active player seems primed to shatter the records set by Messi and Klose: France’s Kylian Mbappé. At 27 years old, Mbappé already boasts a World Cup title and a runner-up medal. In just 14 World Cup appearances, he has netted an astonishing 12 goals, putting him on par with the legendary Pelé.
Meanwhile, young sensations like Spain’s Lamine Yamal—fresh off a spectacular UEFA EURO 2024 victory—are preparing to make their World Cup debuts, ready to carry the torch as the undisputed successors to Messi and Ronaldo on the global stage.
