Lionel Messi is considered one of the greatest players in the history of football. The star footballer has led Argentina to the final clash against France in the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar. As soon as the star footballer entered the field in the final game, Messi became an all-time record holder to play the most games in the World Cup.
Messi who has scored the most number of goals (5) in the 2022 edition of the event, has surpassed Lothar Matthaus for most appearances in FIFA World Cup.
It is Messi's 26th appearance in the tournament.
Following is the list of the top 5 players with the most appearances in FWC:
- Lionel Messi - 26
- Lothar Matthaus - 25
- Miroslav Klose - 24
- Paolo Cesare Maldini - 23
- Cristiano Ronaldo - 22
The 35-year-old has already announced his retirement, and is yet to win the FIFA title. He is just one step away from creating history. Messi has played 5 World Cups in his career and has captained Argentina in 18 World Cup matches so far.
In the first semis, Argentina defeated Croatia to advance to the summit clash 3-0. On the other hand, France defeated Morocco 2-0 to make their way to the final
Interestingly, this will be Argentina's sixth World Cup appearance. The team has won the title twice so far, in the years 1978 and 1986. On the other hand, France have made it to the final of the World Cup for the fourth time after 1998, 2006, and 2018.
Argentina's road to the final -
- Match 1: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia - Loser (1-2)
- Match 2: Argentina vs Mexico - Winner (2-0)
- Match 3: Argentina vs Poland - Winner (0-2)
- Round of 16: Argentina vs Australia - Winner (2-1)
- Quarterfinals: Argentina vs Netherlands - Winner on penalties (4-3)
- Semifinals: Argentina vs Croatia - Winner (3-0)
