1/13
Netherlands' Khalid Boulahrouz, left, and Argentina's Lionel Messi challenge for the ball during the World Cup Group C soccer match in Frankfurt, Germany, June 21, 2006. | Photo: AP/Bas Czerwinski
2/13
Argentina's Lionel Messi, right, eyes the ball during a challenge with Greece's Loukas Vyntra during the World Cup group B soccer match in Polokwane, South Africa, June 22, 2010. | Photo: AP/Bernat Armangue
3/13
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Bosnia during the group F World Cup soccer match at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 15, 2014. | Photo: AP/Victor R. Caivano
4/13
Netherlands' Nigel de Jong, behind, challenges Argentina's Lionel Messi during the World Cup semifinal soccer match in Sao Paulo Brazil, July 9, 2014. | Photo: AP/Martin Meissner
5/13
Argentina's Lionel Messi reaches for the ball during the group D match between Argentina and Croatia at the World Cup in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, June 21, 2018. | Photo: AP/Ricardo Mazalan
6/13
Argentina's Lionel Messi runs for the ball with Nigeria's Bryan Idowu, left, during a group D World Cup match in St. Petersburg, Russia, June 26, 2018. | Photo: AP/Michael Sohn
7/13
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal against Mexico during the World Cup group C soccer match in Lusail, Qatar, Nov. 26, 2022. | Photo: AP/Pavel Golovkin
8/13
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates at the end of the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match against the Netherlands in Lusail, Qatar, Dec. 10, 2022. | Photo: AP/Ricardo Mazalan
9/13
Argentina's Lionel Messi greets cheering fans after his team's 3-0 win at a World Cup semifinal soccer against Croatia in Lusail, Qatar, Dec. 14, 2022. | Photo: AP/Hassan Ammar
10/13
Argentina's Lionel Messi heads the ball next to France's Kingsley Coman, right, during the World Cup final in Lusail, Qatar, Dec. 18, 2022. | Photo: AP/Martin Meissner
11/13
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after receiving the Golden Ball award for best player of the tournament during the awards ceremony after Argentina defeated France at the World Cup final in Lusail, Qatar, Dec. 18, 2022. | Photo: AP/Natacha Pisarenko
12/13
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates with the trophy before fans after winning the World Cup final soccer match against France at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Dec. 18, 2022. | Photo: AP/Martin Meissner
13/13
Argentina's Lionel Messi walks on the pitch during the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. | Photo: AP/Ashley Landis
