Ten Records to Break at the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be a stage for history-making, with 10 significant records from past tournaments up for grabs. Players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are on the cusp of etching their names further into football lore by potentially breaking long-standing achievements.

Among the records that could be surpassed are the five World Cup appearances, a feat currently shared by Mexican legends Antonio Carbajal, Rafael Márquez, and Andrés Guardado, alongside Germany's Lothar Matthäus. Messi and Ronaldo are poised to set a new, unparalleled record with six World Cup participations. Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is also attending his sixth World Cup, though he has only played in four editions.

Germany's Miroslav Klose holds the record for most wins with 17 and most goals with 16. Lionel Messi, with 13 goals, is in a strong position to challenge Klose's scoring record, while Kylian Mbappé, with 12 goals at a young age, also poses a significant threat. Other notable players like Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo have eight goals each.

Furthermore, the record for scoring multiple hat-tricks in World Cup history, held by Argentina's Gabriel Batistuta with two, is also within reach for players like Kane, Mbappé, and Ronaldo. The record for most finals appearances, set by Brazil's Cafu with three, could be challenged by Messi and Mbappé, who have each played in two finals.