WWith just over two months left until the 23rd FIFA World Cup, the global soccer community is gearing up for the biggest tournament in history. For the first time, 48 teams will compete for the ultimate prize, and while group stage brackets have already been determined, the story is dominated by individual teams seeking immortality. Over the past 22 tournaments, legends such as Pell, Diego Maradona, Johan Kaif and Zinedine Zidane have defined the sport, but a select group of just 14 players have managed to break through the elite standard of 20 appearances.
Lionel Messi currently stands at the top with 26 World Cup appearances, a record he achieved during his triumphant return match in Qatar in 2022. By reaching the final, Messi surpassed the long-standing record of 25 points by Germany’s Lothar Matthäus, who appeared in three consecutive finals.
Following them on the all-time list are World Cup top scorer Miroslav Klose (24 games), Italian icon Paolo Maldini (23 games) and Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently has 22 appearances. If Portugal advances to the finals, Ronaldo will rise to second place on the all-time list.
Special ‘Six Club’: Messi and Ronaldo prepare for historic final dance
The 2026 tournament represents more than just a swan song for two of the greatest players of this generation. It represented the moment when they single-handedly established themselves as the only athletes to appear in six World Cups.
The feat broke the five-game tie held by Lothar Matthus and the legendary Mexican trio of Antonio Carvajal, Andres Guardado and Rafael Marquez. Competing in their sixth tournament is not only a testament to their skill, but also to an unprecedented level of longevity and physical maintenance at the highest level of international football.
The record will also mark Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa as the sixth player to join the world-class team, but the difference between being present and being the main character remains clear. Ochoa, 40, has started only three of the five tournaments he has played in, and is expected to serve more as a locker room leader and “on-field coach” than Mexico’s main starter in 2026.
This paved the way for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to finish their careers as the undisputed leaders in both games played and World Cup appearances.
It seems difficult to match Messi and Ronaldo’s six-game record, but young stars like Kylian Mbapp, Jude Bellingham (22) and Lamine Yamal (18) could catch up to them. M-Bap could surpass them in appearances and finish as the tournament’s top scorer. He has already scored 12 goals in just 2 games.
