Messi set for historic World Cup appearance

Lionel Messi of Inter Miami is on the verge of another historic milestone as he begins his quest to lead Argentina to back-to-back World Cup titles.

Argentina, the defending champion captained by Messi, opens its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Algeria in Group J on Wednesday at Kansas City Stadium in Missouri. A single appearance would make Messi the first player in history to compete in six World Cup final tournaments. Already the all-time leader in World Cup appearances with 26 matches, the Argentine star is set to extend that record each time he steps onto the field.

Messi delivered one of the defining performances of his career at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scoring seven goals and contributing three assists to guide Argentina to its first title in 36 years. Although France's Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid captured the Golden Boot with eight goals, Messi was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player. He enters this World Cup with 13 career goals in the competition. Four more would move him past retired German striker Miroslav Klose, whose 16 goals remain the tournament's all-time scoring record.

The biggest question is whether Messi is fully fit. He suffered a hamstring injury while playing for his club before the World Cup and was sidelined for a period. He returned in Argentina's 3-0 friendly win over Iceland on June 10, coming off the bench in the second half and converting a penalty to regain his rhythm ahead of the tournament.

Another compelling storyline is his matchup with Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane of Granada. Luca is the son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who led France to its first World Cup title in 1998. The younger Zidane chose to represent Algeria beginning last year, saying he wanted to honor his family's roots. His father also holds both French and Algerian citizenship.

Meanwhile, uncertainty continues to surround Brazil star Neymar of Santos. Ahead of Brazil's second Group C match against Haiti, he has yet to rejoin full team training, raising doubts about his availability not only for that match but also for Brazil's final group-stage game against Scotland.


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