2026 World Cup records could fall as Messi, Ronaldo and Mbappe chase historic milestones at FIFA’s expanded tournament in North America

The United States, Canada and Mexico, on Friday, June 12, 2026, are preparing to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with several historic World Cup records potentially set to fall as football’s biggest stars chase landmark achievements across the expanded tournament.

Also read: Scaloni Warns on Argentina World Cup Defence Challenge

Data compiled by ActionNetwork.com suggests that Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and several leading national teams could redefine World Cup history, with multiple long-standing records under serious threat.

The World Cup records discussion is being driven by Messi and Mbappe’s pursuit of Germany legend Miroslav Klose’s all-time goals record of 16.

Messi currently has 13 World Cup goals, while Mbappe sits on 12, placing both within striking distance of football immortality.

Cristiano Ronaldo is also poised to make history, as he could become the first player ever to score in six different World Cup tournaments, having already scored in five editions.

The achievement would further cement his status among the competition’s most enduring figures.

Messi could also extend his existing records for appearances, assists, captaincy matches and minutes played, reinforcing his dominance across multiple statistical categories in World Cup history.

The list of potential records extends beyond individual milestones, with France star Kylian Mbappe in position to become the first player to score in three separate World Cup finals, following his goals in both 2018 and 2022.

On the team front, Argentina could join an elite group of nations to win back-to-back World Cup titles, while Brazil could extend its already unmatched record of five World Cup victories.

Germany, France, England, Uruguay and Mexico also feature prominently in projections, with several historic national records for finals appearances, goals, defeats and draws all potentially set to be rewritten.

Brazil’s participation in its 23rd World Cup highlights its unmatched consistency, while England’s draw record and Mexico’s defeat tally remain notable statistical benchmarks that could be extended in 2026.

The expanded tournament format and increased number of matches have further raised expectations that new milestones will be set across multiple categories.

Also read: Scaloni Warns on Argentina World Cup Defence Challenge

As anticipation builds, analysts say the 2026 edition could become the most record-rich World Cup in history, with established legends and emerging stars shaping a new statistical era in global football.