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Lionel Messi’s World Cup career has spanned six tournaments, from his debut as an 18-year-old in Germany in 2006 to his latest appearance in 2026. The Argentina captain scored his first World Cup goal in 2006, led his country to the final in 2014, and completed his quest for soccer’s biggest prize by winning the title in 2022. He also earned the Golden Ball in Qatar as the tournament’s best player. Messi reached another World Cup final in 2026, but Argentina lost to Spain 1-0. Messi joined Cristiano Ronaldo as the first men to play in six World Cups.

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.