Measuring Lionel Messi’s Impact at World Cup 2026

During any given FIFA World Cup, the biggest stars turn up to the party and leave an indelible mark. Statement performances are part and parcel of what we come to expect from the best players, and that is certainly true of Argentina legend Lionel Messi.

We’re fast running out of superlatives to describe just how good Messi is. He’s a transcendary figure, and he’s already got his World Cup 2026 campaign up and running in scintillating fashion. Here, we’ve unpacked what makes Messi so special and why he remains a key cog in a well-oiled machine.

A totemic figure, Messi continues to defy belief and expectation in the twilight of his career. It’s not just the bucketload of goals he scores; no, it’s the way he glides across the pitch and picks up pockets of spaces.

At times, it’s almost impossible for defenders to keep track of where he is, or man-mark him for that matter. Messi is like a magician; he can operate in tight spots, and his left foot is like a wand as shown against Algeria. His repertoire is exceptional, and just like the late Diego Maradona, he is a game-changer.

Despite turning 39 at this summer’s World Cup, Messi remains an evergreen figure, and he inspires his team-mates. He may not always be the most vocal, but everything he does seems effortless; he makes what seems like the most stupendously difficult for any ordinary player look remarkably simple.

A key indicator of Messi’s claim to being the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) lies in the exceptional numbers. His hat-trick against Algeria saw Messi shatter a series of long-standing records, and we’ve underlined some of these below.

• 16 – Messi’s treble against Algeria took his overall tally of career FIFA World Cup goals to 16, equalling the previous record set by Germany forward Miroslav Klose

• 24 – With his match-winning contribution against Algeria, Messi has now superseded Pele (21) for the most World Cup goal contributions (24), chipping in with 16 goals and laying on eight assists

• 5 – Messi has now scored in five straight World Cup games dating back to 2022. He’s the first Argentine player to achieve that feat

• 9 – His prolific nature can be explained by the fact that he’s scored more World Cup goals after turning 35 (9) than the following players in their entire careers — Maradona, Rivaldo, Thierry Henry, Romario, and Rudi Voller

• 38y 357d – In scoring his first career World Cup hat-trick, Messi broke Cristiano Ronaldo’s record (33y 130d) as the oldest player to record a World Cup treble

• 11 – Algeria became the 11th different team that Messi has scored against in the FIFA World Cup. No player has netted against more opponents in the tournament’s history

For over two decades, Messi’s rivalry with Ronaldo redefined club football, captivating the hearts and minds of fans worldwide.

Whichever camp you sit in, the GOAT debate between Ronaldo and Messi still rages on. In the case of Messi, he is fuelled not just by an insatiable appetite for success and breaking records, but also by getting one over his nemesis.

Messi has an unshakeable belief in his game, and he’s spurred on to better whatever Cristiano Ronaldo can do.

Intriguingly, while Messi produced a masterclass against Algeria, Ronaldo turned in a subdued display for Portugal against DR Congo in their opening group game. He managed just 25 touches across the 90 minutes, failed to register a shot on target, and this in turn prompted serious criticism over whether Roberto Martinez should have started him.

We are in the closing stages of a fascinating rivalry, but Messi will want to have the last laugh!

Most pertinently, Messi, who finished runner-up in the Golden Boot race to Kylian Mbappe in Qatar, has seen his odds slashed in the 2026 renewal.

A cursory glance at the top scorer outright market shows Messi is gaining serious traction with leading crypto betting sites. Before the start of the tournament, Messi was priced at around 11.00, but he has since seen his odds tumble to around 4.30 with Betpanda.io, reflecting the kind of impact he’s likely to have.

At full flow, Messi is unstoppable, and he’s an artist. He paints brushstrokes on the pitch, and there is nothing that he can’t do. Having spearheaded Argentina’s charge to the World Cup four years ago, Messi perhaps feels unburdened by expectation, and with that, he can play with more freedom.

There is still a fire in his belly, and Messi is an undeniable great. Messi could break other records at this summer’s World Cup, but one thing is for sure: Argentina still needs him.

Make sure to keep an eye on market developments in relation to World Cup odds shifts, as Messi and Argentina try to plot a route to the Final.