World Cup 2026: Messi tops list of players with most matches played in history

Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, currently tops the list of players with the most matches ever played in the history of the World Cup tournament.

The 39-year-old Inter Miami forward has now played in 28 matches at the World Cup.

This comes after Messi made an appearance for Argentina in their final Group J encounter against Jordan, in which he scored a goal after coming off the bench in the second half.

The match ended in a 3-1 scoreline in favour of Argentina as they progressed to the Round of 32.

Here is the list of the most matches ever played at the FIFA World Cup:

Lionel Messi – 28 matches

Cristiano Ronaldo – 25 matches

Lothar Matthäus – 25 matches

Miroslav Klose – 24 matches

Paolo Maldini – 23 matches