A trophy record for the history books: all of Leo Messi's records with Argentina National Team

August 31, 2026 will go down in football history as the day Leo Messi said goodbye, this time for good, to the Argentina National Team . After winning everything and after firmly establishing himself as the footballer who broke every record for the "Albiceleste".

With 207 international caps and 125 goals scored, the Rosario native set a record that hardly anyone will be able to match: he is the footballer with the most appearances in the history of the national team and Argentina's all-time top scorer.

Everything began on August 17, 2005, in a friendly match in Hungary... in the worst possible way. A minute after coming onto the pitch and making his debut under José Pekerman, he was sent off after a clash with Vanczák. Now, 21 years later, there is no doubt: Messi won everything he could win representing his country.

Messi's honors with Argentina

World Cup champion (2022)

Champion of the 2022 Finalissima

Gold Medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Copa América champion (2024 and 2021)

America Cup (2024 and 2021)

Six appearances in World Cups and 21 goals scored

Six appearances in the Copa América and 13 goals scored

Messi is, for example, the footballer with the most World Cup wins: 21. The first came in his debut, a 6-0 victory over Serbia and Montenegro at Germany 2006, where he also scored his first goal. And he is the only one capable of scoring in every round of a World Cup: group stage, round of 32, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals... and the grand final, when he scored in Qatar 2022 against France.

Captain of Argentina in three World Cup finals (Brazil 2014, Qatar 2022 and the United States, Mexico and Canada 2026), he surpasses legends such as Pelé, Diego Armando Maradona himself or Matthäus in this particular record.

Other records of Leo Messi with Argentina

Oldest hat-trick in World Cup history: 38 years and 357 days old, against Algeria.

Six World Cups played: only matched by Cristiano Ronaldo and Guillermo Ochoa.

Argentina's top scorer in World Cup history: ahead of Batistuta (10), Diego Maradona (8), Guillermo Stábile (8), Mario Kempes (6) and Gonzalo Higuaín (5).

Top South American scorer in World Cups: Ronaldo, with 15, is the one closest to his 21.

Most matches played in World Cups: 34.

Top assist provider in World Cups: 12 assists in World Cups. One more than Fritz Walter of Germany.