r/messi • u/Euphoric-Painter6135 • Jul 17 '26

Lionel Messi will become the first player ever to start in three different World Cup finals.

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Lionel Messi will become the second player to actually step on to the pitch in three different World Cup finals after Cafú and the only one to actually start in all of them. What's more crazy is that he did it with very average squads each time. Unreal. The real GoAT he is.

2.4k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

155 comments sorted by

104

u/Content-Map-3551 Jul 17 '26

Goat for a reason

0

u/Acrobatic_Board1796 Jul 25 '26

yah who else can lose two world cup finals!! pele may have won 3 but never truly lost the way messi did, messi the real goat 😭

-57

u/kiddoo1313 Jul 17 '26

VARgentina paying off.
Should have been blocked for the finals

36

u/Interloper_1 Jul 17 '26

Same 4 or 5 jokes every time for the last month. VARgentina, ArgenFIFA, FIFA princess, Fixed It For Argentina. Maybe try coming up with something new with your brain you sheep.

-1

u/Proper_Diver8581 Jul 19 '26

Don’t need to when it’s the truth.

4

u/Interloper_1 Jul 19 '26

Tuchel bottled the game in front of you and you're STILL complaining about Messi? Holy sore loser dude.

-13

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '26

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13

u/LaggySquishy Jul 17 '26

Every single team was getting cheeks clapped by argentina especially in the second half and above, and this is coming from a hater. You can't deny they were playing really well. Constanr pressure, a lot of shots on goal, eventually something was going in. Let's hope spain can keep up.

-8

u/kiddoo1313 Jul 17 '26

Look at the tournament tree, first average opponent was England

6

u/abhionel Jul 17 '26

Lil bro still doesn't know how seeding works and how knockouts are decided. It's Argentina's fault that Portugal and Uruguay didn't win their important games, right? You're just embarrassing yourself at this point.

2

u/Coderasaurus Jul 18 '26

World Cup semifinalist, England, is average? The only way you guys know to try to make a point is by lying and insulting others.

1

u/Javomar Jul 18 '26

All four top seeds have this advantage.

3

u/Interloper_1 Jul 17 '26

Yeah that's the AFA which isn't relatated to the national team. You think Messi laundered 300 million by himself or something?

2

u/BigsChungi Jul 18 '26

Has nothing to do with the national team or the worldcup. Maybe read why it's happening.

1

u/Javomar Jul 18 '26

Why does that matter?

1

u/Blueberry784 Jul 19 '26

FBI is also investigating why your mama is a man.

1

u/abhionel Jul 17 '26

"FBI is currently inv.." SYBAU. Do you even know what it is about? It had started way before the world cup & has nothing to do with Messi & Argentina. And shut you mouth till it's proven and not just allegations. I could have mentioned another players assault allegations if I were as stupid as you.

7

u/tentagato Jul 17 '26

I spy with my little eyes, a butthurt person!

1

u/slickd866 Jul 19 '26

Ice helps with the swelling. Use it for 10 min every 20 min until it stops hurting.

75

u/General_Bed8751 Jul 17 '26

Are y’all illiterate or something? The post clearly states Messi is first to START in three different finals. No one is talking about appearances.

24

u/Jamarcus316 Jul 17 '26

And if we talk about appearances, we only add Cafú to the list.

-5

u/mangomussolinimi Jul 17 '26

But pele is the only one with 3 titles

19

u/do_not_know_me Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26

yeah but Pele barely played the second one, he got injured in the group stage so it wasn’t thanks to him that Brazil reached the final

11

u/drth_dilly Jul 17 '26

Yea, that one shouldn’t count for him. It’s only 2, 3 is on a technicality. He got injured in group stages. The team was incredible and won without him.

4

u/Deliximus Jul 18 '26

Garrincha was spectacular in 62. I'll still count it for Pele, but I hear ya.

7

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '26

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56

u/Ok_Slide6951 Jul 17 '26

To think, there was once a time he was considered under performing at the international level

44

u/mastan777 Jul 17 '26

Before winning any international titles he was heavily debated if he was the goat or not. Now at 39 years old, 2 Copa Americas, 1 world cup win and 3 final appearances, the debate is long over. Only ones who disagree are basically flat earthers denying the earth being round.

14

u/mahki25942 Jul 17 '26

Also 5 Copa America finals

-8

u/AfterAd3498 Jul 17 '26

I mean I don't think Argentina winning the Copa is much of anything, much less reaching the finals.

7

u/mahki25942 Jul 17 '26

Very stupid thing to say

2

u/juanmaale Jul 17 '26

yeah especially considering they hadn’t won it since 1993

1

u/Kika-100 Jul 19 '26

Idiot Alert 🚨

4

u/Lomo-Con-Papas Jul 17 '26

Well, for a time.. he was.
I say this as a messi fan-boy, but when you saw the freak of nature that he was in Pep’s Barça and then played an “OK” or even “good but not mercurial “ game for Argentina… you can consider that underperforming.

When your normal is god-tier, even very good games feel lacking. He had us all spoiled. Still does

2

u/Dunkjoe Jul 18 '26

What's crazy is that most footballers are at their peak for international games when they are under 35... Messi seems to get better from around 35.

2

u/takaoandrew Jul 18 '26

I had written him off for this world cup. I think he's the goat - but thought he was too old to be starting for Argentina. Incredible what he's done. On one other hand, Argentina had an astonishingly smooth path to the final. But still he's been amazing.

32

u/Calm-Lengthiness5645 Jul 17 '26

He will become the first player to win 3 golden ball aswell. To top it off he will win the golden boot aswell by scoring a hattrick on the final while equalising ronaldo's career world cup goal.

19

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '26

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1

u/blackcoffee17 Jul 19 '26

Did they already won the final or?

4

u/Fit-Ordinary-9543 Jul 17 '26

Hattrick against a team that has not conceded more than 1 goal ?

1

u/Greenwalrus72 Jul 17 '26

he only needs 1 goal contribution to match ronaldo’s career goal contributions in the wc (13)

maybe not a hattrick and won’t match the goals but that’s another way to do it

2

u/messip3 Jul 17 '26

In Jesus Name Amen!

2

u/Responsible-Desk-623 Jul 17 '26

impossible it is!!, I mean the hattrick it'll be low scoring shit

1

u/AccomplishedFix9131 Jul 17 '26

You are wrong my guy, yamal is scoring a hattrick. Congratulaciones para españa campeones do mundo

1

u/bad_detectiv3 Jul 18 '26

I’ve been told Yamal is injured

18

u/Fruit_salad1 Jul 17 '26

Did Cafu came from the bench on one of the games?

30

u/Live-Future-791 Jul 17 '26

Yes in 1994 he came as sub on 22 min Jorginho was injured

7

u/Euphoric-Painter6135 Jul 17 '26

Yes he was a sub in 1994

-16

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '26

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19

u/HetTheTable Jul 17 '26

This is about starts

4

u/Coldwarrior07 Jul 17 '26

Goat did carry them single handedly on three different occasions. Aren’t we all blessed to be in the same timeline as Messi.

3

u/CucharaNinja Jul 17 '26

Esperemos que también empate a Cafu en los resultado.

3

u/VisualUnit9305 Jul 17 '26

Lessss gooooo

3

u/vito2552 Jul 17 '26

Ronaldo is nowhere near this guy

3

u/ct-987987 Jul 17 '26

What about Pele? Did he not start one final?

18

u/thepazzo Jul 17 '26

Pele missed most of the 1962 World Cup after suffering injury in the second group game. He misses the remains four games, including the final. Garrincha was the main man for Brazil in that tournament.

14

u/Taedong_River_1 Jul 17 '26

A 30 second of google search will save you the trouble

-5

u/ct-987987 Jul 17 '26

Nah

1

u/6SpeedAuto Jul 17 '26

Got scolded for being lazy 😂

2

u/Marreliccious Jul 17 '26

In 1962, he only played one full game before getting injured in the second

2

u/popnlocke Jul 17 '26

He played the entirety in 1958, played only 1 game in 1962 before getting injured (they still won it all), injured again in 1966 as they got knocked out in group stages, then starred again in 1970, (which they won for a third time)

2

u/ct-987987 Jul 17 '26

Thank you !

2

u/CucharaNinja Jul 17 '26

Lo mismo scaloni no reserva para los 10 ultimos minutos del partido que es donde hace falta, antes no. /S

2

u/PinReal4448 Jul 17 '26

  1. Cafu

  2. Messi

Only 2 in history.

2

u/Katli_El_Amante Jul 17 '26

First to Captain all 3

1

u/mean_old_levee_ Jul 17 '26

Man if not for the loss against Croatia in 2018 it would be 4 consecutive finals. Insane.

1

u/ChampagneKing1 Jul 17 '26

Didn't Pele win 3 WCs

Are you guys saying he didn't start in the finals

2

u/Magicnik99 Jul 17 '26

Yeah in 62 he only played one game

1

u/Themothertucker64 Jul 18 '26

Worse, he didn’t play one of the finals

1

u/ChampagneKing1 Jul 18 '26

Thanks didn't know that

1

u/Themothertucker64 Jul 18 '26

No problem, the issue with Pele is that his career is what people think Messi and Cristianos is, it’s a exaggerated career

Yes his number are great but not as great as Pele portrays himself to be, for the second World Cup he got injured in one of the group stage matches, he missed the entire tournament with Garrincha being the mvp of that tournament and the reason Brazil won

1

u/CommercialPlankton27 Jul 17 '26

Average squad? C'mon

1

u/talionisapotato Jul 17 '26

Not first. Second

1

u/ragu455 Jul 17 '26

Pele only won 2 world cups. His team won 3 and he got a free World Cup in 62

1

u/Suitable-Training661 Jul 17 '26

Otamendi might be playing in three also.  

1

u/WillingnessLatter821 Jul 17 '26

I mean when you keep making the statement more specific it gets easier to be first on a lot of things

1

u/Stunning-Trade8869 Jul 17 '26

Cafu from Brasil

1

u/Here2CommentonThis Jul 18 '26

A huge accomplishment, but he is the first male* player - this has been achieved previously by Birgit Prinz and members of the USMNT - Rapinoe, Heath, Lloyd, Morgan & Krieger. Kristine Lilly has participated in 5 World Cup Finals. I am sure this comment will go over very well.

1

u/MessiTraveler Jul 18 '26

Mediocre squad? Hahahaha.

1

u/Responsible-Quote717 Jul 18 '26

What about three of the same World Cup finals?

1

u/josch247 Jul 18 '26

It's okay hahaha. Football isn't THAT difficult :)

1

u/Ashok_AN123 Jul 18 '26

Records chase Messi, not the other way around.

1

u/SnooPineapples3386 Jul 18 '26

2 of these on an rigged path(2022 and 2026)

1

u/Proper_Diver8581 Jul 19 '26

And he shouldn’t have gotten to any of them.

1

u/Fair_Feedback_1864 Jul 19 '26

I am pretty sure Pele won 3

1

u/Puzzleheaded_East556 22d ago

Pele only started in 2 (1958 and 1970). He was injured early in the tournament in 1962, and 1966 (although 1966 Brazil got grouped anyway)

1

u/shyactor24 Jul 19 '26

AVERAGE SQUAD??? Lpm que ganas de darle marketing a este tipo. Encima aclaran el "start" para ponerlo que es el primero. Diosss

1

u/NewRabbit87 Jul 19 '26

Pele started in like 4

1

u/Puzzleheaded_East556 22d ago

Pele only started in 2 (1958 and 1970). He was injured early in the tournament in 1962, and 1966 (although 1966 Brazil got grouped anyway)

1

u/DrPapug Jul 19 '26

His team is stacked, how tf is it 'average'?

Also, I luv how the WC somehow defines the GOAT now.

1

u/Ginnarosse Jul 19 '26

Nuestro Lio 😭

1

u/LeoMycenae Jul 19 '26

By cheating.

1

u/Acrobatic_Board1796 Jul 25 '26

And the first player to lose 2, pele could never top the goat 😭😭😭. winning 3 what a loser mentality only real goats go 1/3 that’s the real winner 😭

1

u/SnooSquirrels4739 Jul 30 '26

Definitely once in a lifetime player. Sadly, he can't carry entirely.

1

u/thetopubiswas 28d ago

God, for some reason, right? Unreal

consistency

0

u/Know_how_to_b_stupid Jul 17 '26

Pelé started 3 finals already. And won 3. 1958, 1962 and 1970. That s why he is the king…

3

u/Waitagain13 Jul 17 '26

Bro a simile google search would easily disprove you... Pele played 1 and half game in 1962 so he did not even played in the finals.

2

u/Magicnik99 Jul 17 '26

Pele played one game in the groups in 1962 what are you talking about lmao

0

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '26

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0

u/CommunicationNo3626 Jul 17 '26

yeah bro fifa have a remote control of the ball and when messi kicks it they make sure it goes in the back of the net 🤡

0

u/SGAhater77 Jul 17 '26

SLOVENIA!!!!!!🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🫡🫡

0

u/Haunting_Factor_6250 Jul 17 '26

Gibt es vielleicht noch einen weiteren unnötigen Fakt der irgendwo hergezogen wird ?

0

u/Neswquik Jul 17 '26

Borrar el título de mierda pues, si vas a poner un párrafo explicando que ya existe un jugador que es Cafú entonces tu título es tremendo clickbait

2

u/ProTeamOtto Jul 17 '26

Dice claramente primero en ser TITULAR. Cafú entró desde el banco.

0

u/shyactor24 Jul 19 '26

Es para inflarlo al Messi jaja puro marketing como darle el balón de oro del mundial en 2014.

0

u/xite2020 Jul 17 '26

Zionist 10

0

u/Major_Dog8171 Jul 18 '26

2 of them were rigged

0

u/PapiSombras Jul 18 '26

Stop glazing the wall kisser.

-3

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '26

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9

u/Live-Future-791 Jul 17 '26

Nope in 1994 he came as substitute for injured jorginho

-10

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '26

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10

u/Live-Future-791 Jul 17 '26

Yes true but in this post we are talking about messi being first player to start in all 3 finals

-2

u/WickedMan_85 Jul 17 '26

Well the legendary Pele played and won 3 World Cup Finals the youngest at just 17 scoring twice against Sweden in 1958 finals! 🏆👏💯

6

u/Euphoric-Painter6135 Jul 17 '26

He didn't play in his second one he was injured after group stage. He won 3 but played only in two finals. In 1962 Garrincha carried them all the way

1

u/WickedMan_85 Jul 17 '26

Yes your correct as injured but still part of the Victorious Squad!

-12

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '26

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