Superstar Lionel Messi has become the most capped player for a World Cup-winning team, after playing for Argentina in a friendly against Ecuador.

Argentina had a perfect momentum ahead of the 2024 Copa America when they easily overcame Ecuador in a friendly match. In this match, Argentina’s number one superstar, Lionel Messi, did not play from the beginning but was thrown into the field as a substitute, and this helped the 36-year-old break a record that was not easy to overcome.

Specifically, with his first appearance in 2024 with Argentina, Messi has played his 181st match for a country that has won the World Cup, surpassing Sergio Ramos, who holds the record when he has 180 appearances for Spain.

This is considered an achievement that is difficult to level because not many players who have won the World Cup have played so many times. Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi’s career rival, has made 207 appearances for Portugal, but CR7 has not been able to taste the feeling of world champion once.

Ronaldo has participated in the previous 5 World Cups with Portugal, but the 39-year-old superstar’s best achievement only stopped in the semi-finals in 2006. At the last world football festival, the former Man Utd star and his teammates in Portugal were stopped in the quarterfinals when they let Morocco defeat in an unfortunate way.

Meanwhile, Messi has a slightly better record than his opponent. Similar to Ronaldo, Messi has also participated in the World Cup 5 times, but El Pulga has 2 with Argentina to the final.

In the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, La Albiceleste excellently went to the final match to face Germany. After missing delicious opportunities, Messi and his teammates paid the price with Mario Gotze’s moment of genius, thereby bringing the gold trophy back to Europe.

8 years later, Messi was once again on the threshold of heaven when Argentina clashed with France in the final. After 120 minutes of inconclusive defeat, Argentina are braver and excellently crowned world champions after 36 years of waiting.

It is unclear whether Messi will participate in the 2026 World Cup with Argentina again, but in the immediate future, the 36-year-old will train with his teammates to prepare for the campaign to defend the crown at the Copa America.