Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, is on the verge of matching a rare milestone achieved only by Brazilian icon Ronaldo Nazário when the reigning champions face Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday.
Should Argentina successfully defend the title they won in Qatar in 2022, Messi would secure his second FIFA World Cup trophy and become just the second footballer in history to win at least two World Cups and two Ballon d’Or awards, The Punch reports.
Ronaldo remains the only player to have accomplished the feat, having been part of Brazil’s World Cup-winning squads in 1994 and 2002 while also claiming the Ballon d’Or in 1997 and 2002.
Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or a record eight times, captured his maiden World Cup title in Qatar and now has the chance to equal Ronaldo’s unique achievement if Argentina overcome Spain in Sunday’s showpiece.
The rarity of the record is largely due to football’s history and the timing of international success.
Despite Germany winning four World Cup titles, Ballon d’Or recipients such as Franz Beckenbauer and Lothar Matthäus never won two World Cups as players.
Beckenbauer lifted the trophy as a player in 1974 before guiding Germany to another title as head coach in 1990.
Likewise, Brazilian legends Pelé and Garrincha won multiple World Cups but were never eligible for the Ballon d’Or during their careers because the award was reserved exclusively for European players until 1995.
The Ballon d’Or became open to footballers of every nationality from 1995, allowing non-European stars such as Ronaldo and Messi to compete for the prestigious honour.
Already the holder of a record eight Ballon d’Or trophies, Messi now has the opportunity to further cement his place among football’s greatest players when Argentina meet Spain in the World Cup final.
A victory would see the Argentine superstar join Ronaldo as the only footballers to have won at least two FIFA World Cups and two Ballon d’Or awards.
