Lionel Messi raised the bar once again with an outstanding 2025 season for both Inter Miami and the Argentina national team, breaking records and further extending his legacy with goals, assists, and silverware. With 2026 approaching, the forward enters the year with multiple opportunities to add even more milestones to an already unmatched résumé.
Despite turning 38 in June, Messi continued to rewrite the record books. In Major League Soccer, the Argentine became the first player to score multiple goals in consecutive matches across six straight games, recording 12 goals in that span, all of them braces.
Those performances also helped him set the record for the most Player of the Month and Player of the Matchday awards in a single MLS season, while becoming the first player to surpass 35 goal contributions (goals and assists) in back-to-back league campaigns. The crowning achievement came when Messi became the first player to win the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award in consecutive seasons.
What records could Messi break in the 2026 World Cup?
After lifting the World Cup trophy in Qatar in 2022, Argentina‘s Lionel Messi enters 2026 with a chance not only to defend his status as a reigning champion but also to add several historic achievements. One of the most notable would be appearing in five different World Cup editions, a milestone he could share with Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa.
Lionel Messi of Argentina.
When it comes to unique records, Messi could become the first player to win two World Cups while wearing the captain’s armband, a feat no one has previously accomplished. That scenario would also allow him to extend his record as the player with the most World Cup appearances (currently 26) and potentially challenge the tournament’s all-time scoring mark, as he sits on 13 goals, trailing Ronaldo Nazário (15) and Miroslav Klose (16).
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Another remarkable possibility would see Messi become the first player to appear in three World Cup finals, following his appearances in 2014 and 2022, with another opportunity awaiting in 2026. While Pelé won three World Cups, he featured in only two matches during the 1962 tournament before injury sidelined him for the final, adding further weight to the uniqueness of Messi’s potential achievement.
A unique chance at Inter Miami
The 2025 season was already a resounding success for Messi at Inter Miami, highlighted by elite performances across multiple competitions, including the FIFA Club World Cup, and capped off with an MLS Cup title. While he already stands as the club’s all-time leading scorer, additional league history remains within reach.
Messi could become the first player in MLS history to win the Golden Boot in consecutive seasons. In 2025, he finished atop the scoring chart with 29 regular-season goals, edging out Denis Bouanga and Sam Surridge, while adding six more in the postseason. Repeating that feat in 2026 would place him alone in league history.
A personal milestone still within reach
Sitting at 896 career goals, Messi is closing in on the 900-goal mark, while also having cemented his place as the most prolific assister in soccer history with 407 assists, surpassing Ferenc Puskás. Still, another individual record remains firmly in his sights heading into 2026.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF scoring a free kick against Porto.
Messi currently has 69 career free-kick goals, trailing renowned specialists such as Juninho Pernambucano (72) and Marcelinho (78). In 2018, he enjoyed his most productive free-kick season with 10 goals, and a similar return in 2026 could see the Argentine star climb to the top of yet another iconic all-time list.
