Lionel Messi’s record in major finals for Argentina

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19 July 2026

Lionel Messi will lead

Argentina

out in the 2026

World Cup

final tonight, bidding to etch another massive moment into a career packed full of them.

Messi has won it all with

, though he needed to overcome early adversity before delivering success with the national team.

Ahead of facing Spain, the country where he became the world’s finest footballer, we’ve looked back at Messi’s record in major finals for

Messi’s first major final with the national team ended in disappointment as

were thrashed by arch-rivals

Brazil

. Goals from Julio Baptista and Dani Alves, alongside an own goal from Roberto Ayala, secured a statement win for

. Messi, then just 20, played the entire 90 minutes but was unable to make an impact.

Messi’s next final for

did not arrive until the 2014

. The 27-year-old was named as winner of the World Cup’s Golden Ball after leading

to the decider, but it ended in heartbreak as

Germany

secured an extra-time win. Mario Gotze’s goal crowned

world champions.

Chile secured their first

Copa América

title in history after a penalty shootout win over Messi and

in the 2015 final.

Messi was the only Argentine to convert from the spot, as Gonzalo Higuain blazed over and Ever Banega was denied by Claudio Bravo. Alexis Sanchez stepped up to crown

Chile

champions and extend Argentina’s trophy drought to 22 years. As he had been at the

a year earlier, Messi was named Player of the Tournament but missed out again.

Messi announced his retirement from international football after

lost the 2016 Copa America final to

. It was another shootout defeat for

, and a third major final loss in consecutive years. Messi missed his kick in the shootout as

agonisingly lost again, in what was the

Centenario to celebrate a century of the tournament.

Thankfully, Messi reversed his decision and returned to international football.

After losing four major tournament finals, Messi finally got his hands on silverware with the national team after lifting the 2021 Copa America.

Argentina beat

1-0 to end a 28-year wait for a major trophy. Angel Di Maria scored the decisive goal.

Argentina’s Copa America win saw them take on European champions Italy in the 2022 intercontinental clash, revived as the Finalissima.

A one-sided win for

saw Lautaro Martinez, Angel Di Maria and Paulo Dybala on target.

The pinnacle of Messi’s international career arrived in Qatar in 2022, as

secured their third world title. It was a tournament that Messi defined, scoring seven goals to win the Golden Boot. Messi netted twice in an epic final win over

France

, as

edged the shootout to become world champions for the first time since 1986.

For Messi, arguably the game’s greatest-ever talent, it was success on the biggest stage of all.

Argentina defended their Copa America title with a hard-fought win over Colombia in 2024. Lautaro Martinez’s extra-time goal sealed success for

, who made it three consecutive international tournaments.

Read –

Every team to have defended the World Cup as Argentina chase history

See more –

The night Diego Maradona threatened to have Oasis shot

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