EAST RUTHERFORD: Lionel Messi set two major World Cup records despite Argentina’s painful 1-0 defeat to Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
The Argentina captain became the oldest outfield player ever to appear in a World Cup final at the age of 39 years and 25 days. He surpassed Sweden’s Gunnar Gren, who was 37 years and 241 days old when he played against Brazil in the 1958 final.
Messi also became only the second player in football history to feature in three World Cup finals. He played the tournament deciders in 2014, 2022 and 2026, matching the record of Brazil legend Cafu, who appeared in the finals of 1994, 1998 and 2002.
The historic night, however, ended in disappointment for Argentina as Spain secured their second World Cup title after Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in extra time.
Messi had led Argentina throughout the tournament as the defending champions attempted to win back-to-back World Cups. The defeat denied Argentina a repeat of their 2022 triumph in Qatar, where Messi finally lifted the trophy after years of near misses.
His latest final appearance came 12 years after Argentina’s 2014 loss to Germany and four years after their victory over France in Qatar.
Although Argentina failed to retain the title, Messi’s longevity and consistency at the highest level once again placed him in the World Cup record books.
