The records that could fall: Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe chase World Cup history

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, all eyes in the footballing world will, as ever, be trained on the shattering of historic records. This upcoming edition presents the likes of Thibaut Courtois, Didier Deschamps, Harry Kane, Luka Modric, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo with the opportunity to rewrite the history books.

Here is a breakdown of the records on the cusp of being broken across the stadiums of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Oldest manager

• Current record: Otto Rehhagel (71 years old)
• Chasing the record: Dick Advocaat (78 years old)

The record was set by “King Otto” during the 2010 World Cup whilst at the helm of Greece against Argentina. The 78-year-old Advocaat will break this record the moment he steps into the dugout on 14 June in Houston, leading Curacao against Germany. Furthermore, Miroslav Koubek of the Czech Republic and Hugo Broos of South Africa will also enter the tournament aged 74.

Oldest goalscorer in the knockout stages

• Current record: Pepe (39 years old)
• Chasing the record: Cristiano Ronaldo (41), Luka Modric (40), and Edin Dzeko (40)

International football’s all-time leading goalscorer, Ronaldo, may affectionately call his longtime Portuguese teammate Pepe "brother," but he will undoubtedly want this particular crown for himself. Having celebrated his 41st birthday this past February, Ronaldo is well-positioned to claim it. Modric, who turned 40 last September, and Bosnia and Herzegovina striker Dzeko, who reached 40 in March, also stand a chance to surpass Pepe.

Most matches managed at the World Cup

• Current record: Helmut Schon (25 matches)
• Chasing the record: Didier Deschamps (19 matches)

Schon set this monumental milestone over half a century ago. Should French boss Deschamps guide Les Bleus to the quarter-finals, he will equal the record, and a semi-final appearance would see him claim it outright. Additionally, Deschamps requires just three more victories to break the record for the most World Cup match wins as a manager.

Youngest Golden Ball winner

• Current record: Ronaldo (21 years old)
• Chasing the record: Multiple players

The Golden Ball is awarded to the finest player of each World Cup tournament. When the Brazilian legend Ronaldo claimed the prize following a stunning campaign at the 1998 World Cup -- bagging four goals and three assists -- he was just 21. This time around, a host of precocious talents have the chance to eclipse him, including France’s Desire Doue, Argentina’s Nico Paz, and Spain’s Lamine Yamal.

Most World Cup match wins as a player

• Current record: Miroslav Klose (17 wins)
• Chasing the record: Lionel Messi (16 wins)

Germany’s Miroslav Klose, the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, broke the record held by Brazil’s Cafu back in 2014. However, Argentinian maestro Lionel Messi can restore this record to South American hands with a single victory in the group stage against either Algeria, Austria, or Jordan.

Most World Cup goals

• Current record: Miroslav Klose (16 goals)
• Chasing the record: Lionel Messi (13) and Kylian Mbappe (12)

Klose broke the legendary Ronaldo's record on Brazilian soil during the 2014 tournament, but his tally of 16 is now under serious threat. Messi sits on 13 goals, while Mbappe is just a single goal further back, having nettted an astonishing 11 goals in his last 11 World Cup outings. Furthermore, should they launch an extraordinary run, the likes of Harry Kane or Cristiano Ronaldo -- who both sit on eight goals -- could also mount a challenge for the summit.

Most clean sheets

• Current record: Peter Shilton and Fabien Barthez (10 clean sheets)
• Chasing the record: Thibaut Courtois (7 clean sheets)

English icon Shilton has held a share of this record since 1990, with France's Barthez joining him in 2006. Belgium’s 6ft 7in shot-stopper, Courtois, has the chance to pull level if he manages to keep clean sheets against Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand in Group G. Having made 15 World Cup appearances, Courtois is also just five matches away from equalling Hugo Lloris's record for the most appearances by a goalkeeper.

Most goals from outside the penalty area

• Current record: Rivelino (5 goals)
• Chasing the record: Lionel Messi (4 goals)

Famed for his ferocious long-range strikes, Brazilian legend Rivelino scored five spectacular goals from outside the box in his World Cup career. Messi, meanwhile, scored three from distance in 2014 (against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, and Nigeria) and added another in 2022 against Mexico. Just two more long-range goals would see him bypass Rivelino.

Most World Cup tournaments featured In

• Current Record: Antonio Carbajal, Andrés Guardado, Rafael Márquez, Lothar Matthäus, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo (5 tournaments).
• Chasing the record: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (6 tournaments).

The moment either of these two titans sets foot onto the pitch in this edition, they will stand alone as the first players in history to feature in six separate World Cup tournaments.

Most World Cup final appearances

• Current record: Cafu (3 finals)
• Chasing the record: Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi (2 finals)

Brazil's Cafu played in the tournament deciders of 1994, 1998, and 2002. Although his compatriot Pele won three World Cups, injury cruelly sidelined him from the 1962 final. Having featured in the finals of 2014 and 2022, Messi -- alongside Mbappé, who featured in the last two finals -- could equal Cafu's feat by reaching the showcase match. In doing so, Messi would also match Pele’s feat (1958 and 1970) of appearing in two World Cup finals spanned 12 years apart.

Most hattricks across different tournaments

• Current record: Gabriel Batistuta (2 tournaments)
• Chasing the record: Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Goncalo Ramos, and Cristiano Ronaldo (1 tournament)

To draw level with the legendary Argentinian marksman known as 'Batigol,' each of these four players needs just one more World Cup hat-trick. Should Mbappe manage a treble in France’s opening match against Senegal on 17 June, he would also achieve the rare distinction of scoring hattricks in back-to-back World Cup matches.