7 records and achievements Lionel Messi could still add to his legacy in 2026 | OneFootball

Lionel Messi has already secured his legacy as arguably the greatest footballer in the history of this game. Now, at the age of 38, we can consider this twilight stage of his career something of a victory lap.

Even as he approaches the end, the veteran can continue to write his name into the history books. And with a World Cup on the horizon, 2026 might just be the last big year of Messi’s incredible career.

Here are seven records and achievements that Messi could yet add to his unsurpassable legacy in 2026.

First player in MLS history to win back-to-back Golden Boots

Preki, Taylor Twellman, Jeff Cunningham and Bradley Wright-Phillips all boast a pair of MLS Golden Boots. But no player has three.

Surprisingly enough, none of them finished a Major League Soccer campaign as top goalscorer in successive seasons.

Having won his first Golden Boot with 29 goals in the 2025 regular season, Messi can become the first player in MLS history to retain the award in 2026.

Last season, he became the first player to be awarded the league’s Most Valuable Player award in successive seasons.

A 50th trophy

There are few worlds for Messi left to conquer. Few records to set. At this stage of his career, he can only extend the records he’s set.

Already the most decorated footballer in the history of the men’s game, Messi can make lift his 50th major honour in 2026.

By our count, he’s won 47 major honours, although the classification of one or two of those is up for debate.

In 2026, he’ll be competing for the Finalissima and World Cup with Argentina, while the Supporters Shield, MLS Cup, Leagues Cup and CONCACAF Champions Cup are up for grabs with Inter Miami.

Almost every year of Messi’s career has seen him lift one shiny pot or another. We’d be amazed if he doesn’t add to his glittering collection in the 12 months ahead.

Win the CONCACAF Champions Cup

After inspiring Inter Miami to the MLS Cup last season, remarkably there are only two pieces of silverware that Messi could have won but hasn’t.

The only trophy he failed to win during his time in Europe was the Coupe de France, with PSG eliminated by Nice and Marseille during his two seasons in France.

The other is the CONCACAF Champions Cup, North and Central America’s equivalent to the Champions League.

Inter Miami qualified last season as the Supporters’ Shield winners. They made it to the semi-finals but were defeated 5-1 on aggregate by MLS rivals Vancouver Whitecaps.

They’ll get another chance this year, having once again qualified after getting revenge on the Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final.

Become the first man to lift the World Cup twice as captain

Several players have lifted the trophy twice — largely from Italy’s 1934 and 1938 sides and Brazil’s victorious teams of 1958 and 1962 — but none have done so as captain on both occasions.

Italy’s Giuseppe Meazza (1938), Brazil’s Bellini (1958), Mauro (1962) and Cafu (2002), along with Argentina’s Daniel Passarella (1978), all won two World Cups, but each only captained their side once.

Messi stands poised to become the first to wear the armband for two World Cup triumphs.

Win a record-extending NINTH Ballon d’Or

Messi already has three more Ballon d’Ors than his era-defining rival Cristiano Ronaldo, and five more than anybody else in the history of France football’s prestigious award.

He hasn’t even made the 30-man shortlist in either of the last two seasons.

While he captained Argentina to the Copa America in 2024, that was overlooked as his individual impact hadn’t been nearly as great as the 2021 Copa America or 2022 World Cup, which saw him rewarded with his seventh and eighth Golden Ball.

Not since Neymar at Santos in 2011 has a player from outside of Europe made the Ballon d’Or shortlist.

Technically, Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or as an Inter Miami player, but that was for his World Cup campaign, and he spent half that year at PSG.

So we don’t expect Messi to re-enter this conversation, but never say never. If he can lead Argentina to another World Cup, we could see him being awarded a ninth as the cherry on the icing of a wonderful career.

First national team captain to win four consecutive major tournaments

Argentina currently share a rare piece of international history with Spain, having won a World Cup sandwiched between two major continental titles.

Only those two nations have ever achieved that sequence in men’s international football, and Argentina’s hot streak is as yet unbroken.

Under Messi’s captaincy, La Albiceleste could go one better by making it four major tournament wins in a row next summer. Include the Finalissima, and the 38-year-old could even stretch that run to six major honours this year.

Become the top free-kick goalscorer in history

This one is a stretch, admittedly, given Messi would need to score 10 free-kick goals in 2026 to eclipse the outright record held by Brazilian dead-ball specialist Marcelinho Carioca.

For context, the Argentinian notched three free-kick goals in 2025. But he did manage 10 free-kick goals back in 2018. If he can rediscover that magic touch, it’s not impossible.

Messi currently stands fourth in the all-time rankings on 69 free-kick goals. Lyon legend Juninho Pernambucano (72) is within reach, but surpassing Roberto Dinamite (75) this year would be some feat.