World Cup 2022 vs 2026: Lionel Messi's incredible stats compared
Champion in Qatar in 2022, historic records in 2026: comparing Lionel Messi's stats across his last two World Cups.
One match away from a second consecutive world title, Lionel Messi's run across the last two World Cups deserves a closer look. From glory in Qatar in 2022 to the historic records of the 2026 edition, here's how the Argentine star's numbers compare across both tournaments.
2022 World Cup in Qatar: the long-awaited title
- 7 matches, 7 goals and 3 assists
- Golden Ball as the tournament's best player
- World title won against France (3-3 after extra time, 4-2 on penalties)
- Age at the time: 35, in his 5th World Cup appearance
2026 World Cup: a historic individual odyssey
- 8 goals in this edition alone, tied with Kylian Mbappé atop the scoring charts
- A record scoring streak across 9 consecutive matches, ended in the quarter-final against Switzerland
- 18 career World Cup goals in total, surpassing Germany's Miroslav Klose (16 goals)
- 12 career assists at the tournament, a new record ahead of Diego Maradona
- Current age: 39, in his 6th World Cup appearance
A direct comparison of the two editions
Purely in terms of goals scored, Messi is actually doing better at the 2026 World Cup (8 goals) than he did in Qatar (7 goals), despite the passing years. But the 2022 edition remains the more complete campaign in team terms, crowned by a title Argentina had waited a long time for.
A chance to make history again
With Argentina one step from another final against Spain, Messi is chasing a rare feat: winning two consecutive world titles, something no player has achieved since Brazil's Pelé in 1958 and 1962.
