Lionel Messi becomes third player to make 200 international appearances; joins Ronaldo
Jun 17, 2026
Missouri [US], June 17 : Legendary footballer Lionel Messi added another milestone to his illustrious career, becoming only the third player in football history to reach 200 international appearances for his country.
The Argentine captain achieved the landmark during his side's FIFA World Cup 2026 clash against Algeria at the Kansas City Stadium on Wednesday (as per Indian Standard Time), marking yet another historic moment in his record-breaking journey.
With this appearance, Messi joins an elite list of international footballers with the most caps in history, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa.
Players with the most international caps in history include Cristiano Ronaldo (228), Bader Al-Mutawa (202), Lionel Messi (200), followed by Luka Modric (198) and others on the list of global greats, according to 433 X handle.
Messi's 200th appearance is set to come on the World Cup stage, underlining the longevity and consistency of the Argentine superstar, who continues to play at the highest level even in the twilight of his career.
The milestone further cements Messi's legacy as one of football's greatest-ever players, as he continues to lead Argentina on the world stage in pursuit of more international success after winning the 2022 World Cup.
Messi has now featured in six FIFA World Cup editions (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026), underlining his extraordinary longevity at the highest level of international football, according to ESPN.
Messi's FIFA World Cup journey began in Germany in 2006, where he made three appearances, scoring once and providing one assist as Argentina reached the quarterfinals.
In South Africa 2010, he played five matches, registering one assist but no goals, with Argentina again exiting at the quarterfinal stage.
His standout tournament came in Brazil 2014, where he scored four goals and provided one assist in seven appearances, winning the Golden Ball as Argentina finished runners-up to Germany, according to ESPN.
In Russia 2018, Messi recorded one goal and two assists across four matches as Argentina were eliminated in the round of 16. He then produced a historic campaign in Qatar 2022, scoring seven goals and providing three assists in seven appearances, winning another Golden Ball and leading Argentina to their third World Cup title.
