Argentina fell short against Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, and their dream of securing back-to-back titles came to an end. Not only that, but Lionel Messi was also unable to claim his second World Cup trophy, which would have allowed him to surpass Diego Maradona and close the gap on Pele in the ranking of the most successful players in World Cup history.
O Rei, considered by many as one of the greatest players of all time, is the only player in history to win three World Cups, achieving the feat with Brazil. Maradona, meanwhile, finished his career with Argentina having won a single World Cup title.
Messi has played in three finals across six World Cup tournaments, and he was only able to lift the trophy once, in Qatar 2022. As a result, he missed the chance to move closer to Pele, and it remains to be seen whether there is any possibility that the No. 10 will play in 2030, something that currently appears unlikely.
Pele’s World Cup titles
Pele is the only player in soccer history to win three FIFA World Cups, lifting the trophy in Sweden 1958, Chile 1962, and Mexico 1970. Throughout his legendary tournament career, he scored a total of 12 goals in 14 matches, including a brilliant brace in the 1958 final at just 17 years old and the opening goal in the 1970 final.
Pele waves as he arrives for the Final Draw for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
Maradona’s lone World Cup triumph
Diego Maradona cemented his status as a soccer legend by leading Argentina to glory at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, a tournament defined by his iconic performance against England where he scored both the controversial “Hand of God” and the spectacular “Goal of the Century.”
Four years later, Maradona captained the national team to another final at Italia 1990, where Argentina ultimately finished as runners-up after a narrow and dramatic 1-0 defeat against West Germany.
Diego Maradona (right) of Argentina takes on Thomas Berthold of West Germany during the World Cup final.
Another World Cup runner-up finish for Messi
Lionel Messi‘s World Cup final legacy is defined by both heartbreak and ultimate glory. After a painful 1-0 extra-time defeat against Germany at Brazil 2014, Messi finally achieved his lifelong dream at Qatar 2022, leading Argentina to the title in one of the greatest finals ever played.
Four years later, he reached the grand stage once again, finishing as a runner-up at the 2026 World Cup to complete an extraordinary career chapters in the tournament’s history.
