‘Lionel Messi didn’t need the World Cup to be among the greatest of all time, but he deserved it. He brough... When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

Lionel Messi’s top card sales highlight strong collector demand ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Argentine superstar is one of just four athletes to have joined the three-comma club while still active in their sports—and is one of two new billionaires competing at this year’s World Cup.

A crowd of 91,102 at Kyle Field watched Argentina defeat Honduras 2-0 in a World Cup exhibition as fans eagerly awaited Lionel Messi's performance.

Scaloni openly discussed how closely he works with Messi on major decisions involving Argentina, leading many to wonder whether Martinez follows a similar approach with Ronaldo inside the Portugal camp.