Cristiano Ronaldo loses to Lionel Messi again, this time for a special achievement in FIFA World Cups
On 17 June 2026, Lionel Messi made history in the FIFA World Cups. He surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo by a few hours.
June 17, 2026, is a day in football history that will not be forgotten. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both appeared at the 6th FIFA World Cup. But, once again, Messi got there first.
Argentina kicked off against Algeria at 6:30 AM IST. Messi took the pitch and became the first male player to appear in 6 World Cups.
The milestone arrived on his 200th international cap. It also spanned exactly 20 years since his tournament debut as an 18-year-old in Germany in 2006.
He did not stop at the appearance record. Messi scored all 3 goals in Argentina's 3-0 victory. He netted in the 17th, 60th and 76th minutes. The hat-trick was the first of his World Cup career.
It made him the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick at 38 years and 357 days. The treble took him to 16 career World Cup goals, equalling Miroslav Klose's all-time record. He also surpassed Pele with 24 total World Cup goal contributions. Messi was substituted to a standing ovation in the 79th minute.
Ronaldo follows
Portugal's Group K opener against DR Congo kicked off at 10:30 PM IST. That created a 16-hour gap on the very same calendar day. CR7 will become the second male player to appear in 6 World Cups.
He joins Messi in an extraordinary club. Both players have now cemented a 20-year era of dominance at the highest level.
However, Ronaldo has a record Messi can never match. If he scores at any point in this tournament, he will become the only player in history to score at 6 different World Cups. Messi did not score in 2010, making that specific record permanently beyond him.
Cristiano Ronaldo also enters this tournament as the most capped player in men's football history with 226 appearances. He is also the all-time leading scorer in men's internationals with 143 goals. One more World Cup goal will equal Eusebio's record of 9 goals as Portugal's all-time top scorer at the tournament.
First Player to Play 6 World Cups
Overall, neither player is actually the first person to reach 6 World Cups overall. Brazil's Formiga played in 7 Women's World Cups between 1995 and 2019.
Marta and Christine Sinclair both played in 6. Messi and Ronaldo are simply the first male players to achieve the feat. The rivalry never truly ends.
Check Messi vs Ronaldo compstidon in FIFA World Cups. Stats and historical data show that it’s a one-sided contest.
About the Author
Sounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers. <br><br> Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour, celebrity influence and the business of sport and cinema. He helps readers understand why a story matters beyond the headline. <br><br> Sounak has contributed to widely read digital publications. He continues to build a body of journalism shaped by consistency, speed and editorial clarity. He is particularly interested in the intersection of media, popular culture and public conversation in contemporary India. <br><br> At LiveMint, he writes daily coverage as well as analytical pieces that interpret numbers, trends and cultural moments in accessible language. His approach prioritises factual depth, balanced framing and reader trust. The reporting aligns with modern newsroom standards of transparency and credibility. <br><br> Outside daily reporting, he explores storytelling across formats including podcasts, filmmaking and narrative non-fiction. Through his journalism, Sounak aims to document the rhythms of modern entertainment and sports while maintaining rigorous editorial integrity. <br><br> Sounak continues to develop audience-focused journalism that connects speed with substance in a rapidly-changing information environment. His work seeks clarity, trust and lasting public value in every story he reports.
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