Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo etch their names alongside Guillermo Ochoa in the record books of the World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are poised to etch their names in the record books at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first players to actively participate in six editions of the tournament, with Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa also joining this elite group by being named in six World Cup squads.

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Their remarkable journeys began at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where they made their debuts and have since remained prominent figures on the global football scene over the past two decades.

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Messi and Ronaldo are expected to represent Argentina and Portugal, respectively, in North America, while Ochoa's inclusion in Mexico's squad cements his status as only the third player to achieve the six-World Cup milestone.

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Interestingly, despite their dominance of world football for nearly two decades and appearances at the same five previous World Cups, Messi and Ronaldo have never faced each other at the tournament, with their only international meeting taking place in a friendly match in Geneva in February 2011.

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Although they have clashed 35 times at the club level, their World Cup paths have yet to cross, a surprising fact given their long-standing presence on the global stage.

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Ronaldo returns to the World Cup for a sixth time, seeking to lead Portugal to their maiden title, after making his tournament debut in Germany in 2006, where he featured in six matches and scored once as Portugal finished fourth.

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The 41-year-old Portuguese superstar further solidified his legacy at Qatar 2022 by becoming the first player to score in five different World Cups, achieving this feat by converting a penalty in Portugal's opening 3-2 victory over Ghana.

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Since then, Ronaldo has played 22 World Cup games, scoring eight goals and providing two assists, as Portugal arrives at the tournament among the favorites following an impressive qualifying campaign.

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Portugal's recent form has been impressive, with only one loss in their last 13 matches, including 10 wins and two draws, and a resounding 9-1 victory over Armenia in their most recent competitive outing.

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Messi, meanwhile, is set to make his sixth World Cup appearance when defending champions Argentina begin their campaign against Algeria in Kansas City, after making his tournament debut in 2006 at just 18 years old.

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The Argentine legend has made two substitute appearances and one start, scoring his first tournament goal against Serbia and Montenegro in the group stage, and currently holds the record for most World Cup matches played, with 26, and most minutes, with 2,314.

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The 38-year-old is Argentina's leading scorer at the World Cup, with 13 goals, placing him equal fourth on the all-time list, three behind Germany's Miroslav Klose, and is tied with Brazil legend Pele for most total goal contributions, with 21.

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Messi is the only player to have scored in every round of the tournament, including the group stage, round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final, a testament to his enduring impact on the World Cup stage.

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Since their debut, Messi and Ronaldo have been the standard-bearers for their nations at every World Cup, featuring prominently in South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, and Qatar 2022.

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Unlike the two superstars, Ochoa's World Cup journey has been marked by a unique path, with the veteran goalkeeper initially being included in Mexico's squads for Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010 without making an appearance at either tournament.

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Ochoa finally made his World Cup debut at Brazil 2014, keeping a clean sheet against Cameroon before starring in matches against Brazil, Croatia, and the Netherlands, and has since retained his place as Mexico's first-choice goalkeeper.

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At Russia 2018, Ochoa helped Mexico secure memorable victories over Germany and South Korea before a Round of 16 exit against Brazil, and at Qatar 2022, he featured in all three group-stage matches, although Mexico failed to progress beyond the first round.