Messi, Ronaldo, and Ochoa Set to Make History with Sixth FIFA World Cup Appearance in 2026

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Guillermo Ochoa are poised to make history by participating in their sixth FIFA World Cup in 2026. Among them, Argentina’s Lionel Messi has the most imminent opportunity, potentially becoming the first player ever to appear in six World Cups. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41 years old, is preparing for his sixth World Cup, while Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa is also aiming to match this milestone. (June 1, Kathmandu).

These three globally renowned players are on the verge of achieving a historic milestone at the FIFA World Cup 2026. After leading Argentina to victory as captain at the 2022 World Cup, Messi will return to the tournament as the defending champion. To date, he has played 26 World Cup matches, scoring 13 goals and providing 8 assists.

Ronaldo is gearing up to compete in his sixth World Cup at the age of 41. He has scored 8 goals across 22 World Cup matches and aims to secure Portugal’s first-ever World Cup title. Meanwhile, Mexican goalkeeper Ochoa also plans to compete in his sixth tournament, having gained worldwide recognition for his performance against Brazil in the 2014 World Cup. If all three participate in 2026, it will mark the first time in football history that three players have appeared in six World Cups. Since Argentina’s matches will commence earlier in the tournament, Messi is expected to be the first among them to reach this historic record.