Lionel Messi
World Cup winner, eight-time Ballon d'Or, and the heartbeat of Argentina — the most decorated player in the game's history.
⚽ Play today's FootWord — can you guess today's star player?✅ 8× Ballon d'Or winner✅ 2022 World Cup champion✅ Argentina's all-time top scorer
🔴 Argentina — live now
🏆 World Cup 2026
After lifting the trophy in 2022, Messi and Argentina return to defend it. Track Argentina's 2026 run live below.
Follow the full picture on our World Cup 2026 hub — fixtures, groups, standings and the Golden Boot race — or jump into the daily FootWord while you wait for kickoff.
📊 Career records
- Record number of Ballon d'Or awards (8)
- All-time top scorer for FC Barcelona and Argentina
- Led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title
🥇 Honours
8× Ballon d'Or
FIFA World Cup 2022
Copa América 2021 & 2024
4× UEFA Champions League
👕 Clubs
FC BarcelonaParis Saint-GermainInter Miami
⚽ The Lionel Messi FootWord challenge — guess the daily football word
🔗 Related
🏆 World Cup 2026🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo🇫🇷 Kylian Mbappé🇳🇴 Erling Haaland🏴 Jude Bellingham🇪🇸 Lamine Yamal🇧🇷 Vinícius Júnior
❓ Lionel Messi FAQ
Did Lionel Messi win the World Cup?
Yes — Messi captained Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title.
How many Ballon d'Or awards has Messi won?
Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record eight times.