Messi Set For Third FIFA World Cup Final: Only One Other Player Has Done This & It's Not Pele

Lionel Messi has reached a third FIFA World Cup final, joining only one other footballer in history to achieve the feat, who surprisingly is not Brazil's legendary ex-no. 10.

Messi is lifted by his Argentina teammates after their FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final victory over England.

Source : X, @Argentina

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Lionel Messi secures his third FIFA World Cup final.
• He joins Cafu, an exclusive football record.
• Messi previously played 2014, then won 2022 final.

Messi FIFA World Cup Final Record: Lionel Messi continues to rewrite football history. After inspiring Argentina to a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over England in the semi-final, the Argentine captain has now earned a place in his third FIFA World Cup final. In doing so, the 39-year-old has joined one of the rarest clubs in the sport's history. While many fans would instinctively assume Pele also achieved the feat, the Brazilian icon surprisingly did not. Instead, Messi now shares this remarkable distinction with another legendary South American, Brazil's iconic right-back, Cafu.

Messi Joins Cafu In Exclusive FIFA World Cup Club

Messi's latest appearance in the FIFA World Cup showpiece follows his previous finals in 2014 and 2022.

His first came in Brazil in 2014, when Argentina fell 1-0 to Germany after extra time despite an outstanding tournament from their captain.

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Eight years later, Messi finally fulfilled his dream by leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, defeating France in one of the greatest finals the competition has ever witnessed.

Now, with Argentina once again reaching the final in 2026, Messi becomes only the second footballer ever to feature in three FIFA World Cup finals.

The only other player to accomplish the feat is Cafu. The legendary Brazilian defender appeared in the finals of 1994, 1998 and 2002, lifting the trophy in his first and last appearances while finishing runner-up in between.

Why Pele Is Not On The List

The statistic often surprises football fans because Pele remains the only player to win three FIFA World Cup titles.

However, the Brazilian superstar did not actually play in three finals.

Pele featured in the victorious 1958 and 1970 finals, but missed Brazil's 1962 final because of injury after suffering a muscle problem earlier in the tournament.

Although Brazil retained the trophy that year, Pele watched the final from the sidelines.