Lionel Messi is about to write another incredible chapter in his magically-knotted football career. The Argentinean captain will become just the second player of all time to represent his nation in three FIFA World Cup finals after making it to the 2026 World Cup Final.
Only another player in the world has accomplished this amazing feat – and that's Brazil's legendary right-back, “Cafu.” Cafu went on to compete in three World Cup finals, two of which he won, in 1994, 1998 and 2002, making him a football legend.
Messi has been competing in the World Cup for over 10 years. He made it to the final in 2014 where Argentina lost to Germany after extra time. Finally, after eight years, he achieved success in a game that he desired to do so all his life, leading Argentina to the World Cup in 2022 against France in one of the greatest-ever finals in football. Now in 2026, Messi has a second opportunity to go for the biggest prize in football.
Pelé is the only player to win three FIFA World Cups (in 1958, 1962 and 1970), but he never appeared in three World Cups. The Brazilian legend missed the 1962 final due to injury and was only in two finals, that of 1958 and 1970.
Out of all of them, Cafu and Messi are the only players to have appeared in three World Cup finals, making them a rare commodity that require a great deal of consistency, longevity and excellence to reach such goal.
Regardless of how Argentina does or doesn't lift the cup, Messi is in the running to become one of the best players the World Cup has seen, with his third final appearance in the tournament cementing his legacy.
