The love story between Lionel Messi and the World Cup turns 20 Messi and the World Cup have been playing together for 20 years. It's a long, beautiful and rare story. The person showing it is reporter Pedro Bassan. An adjustment to his shorts and a few touches to his shirt to hide his nervousness. Yes, he is human, although sometimes it is difficult to believe. Lionel Messi came off the bench at 18 to debut in a World Cup. When he stepped onto the field, God's hands opened and blessed one of the jewels of creation from above. Just 13 minutes later, the young promise became reality. It was in Germany, in 2006. It's been so long since the opposing country no longer exists: Serbia and Montenegro, who at the time were united and scored, together, Messi's first goal in the World Cup. 📱Bookmark g1 on Google and follow the main news of the day The fans were already dreaming of a scene that took a long time to come to fruition. Or rather, it came about little by little, while Messi matured and learned the way. In 2010, he was already the best in the world, but he didn't score once in South Africa. He reached his third World Cup, voted four times best in the world, ready to shine on the most important stage, the Maracanã. Where he was booed and, a minute later, consecrated in the victory against Bosnia. At Mineirão, he was decisive in the last moments to defeat Iran, creating a routine of giving goalkeepers that “I got a goal from Messi” look on their faces. Two goals against Nigeria at Beira-Rio. Almost opposites. Strength, claw. Coldness and talent. In 2018, the fourth World Cup, a bearded gentleman appears in Russia. And more important than the only goal, against Nigeria, it was a kind of sign: past and present talking without talking to each other. Not everyone understood. And when, at 35, Messi arrived in Qatar, some even said he was already too old. At most he would have one last chance to lift the trophy. Well, in the fifth World Cup, he seems to have combined the experience and talent of the other four and reached perfection. He scored goals in almost every game - there were seven. Two in the final, no masterpiece. The artist who had already enchanted the world in every way just wanted to win and take away the weight of the world he carried on his shoulders. Yes, he is human. Yes, he wanted more. Love story between Messi and the World Cup turns 20 National Newspaper/ Reproduction In the United States, Messi is even a street name. You don't need to prove anything to anyone, you just need to be present to make history and become the first player to take the field in six editions of the World Cup. He came on against Algeria and broke records in succession: 1-0 and he equaled Cristiano Ronaldo, scoring goals in five World Cups; 2 x 0: 200 games for Argentina and he won't stop; 3 x 0, equaling German Klose as the top scorer in World Cups - 16 goals on June 16, exactly 20 years after that first goal. Experts may notice differences, but what we see is the mind of a genius commanding the body, which responds with the same agility as 20 years ago. Messi defies the effects of time on the human body, in a phenomenon that goes beyond football. GloboPop: click to see videos from the Jornal Nacional stage READ ALSO Home of Jornal Nacional at the World Cup is in the heart of Manhattan Island, in New York Discover Globo’s latest coverage of the 2026 World Cup Special series on the essence of Brazilian football highlights the talent of our players Carlo Ancelotti's path to the Brazilian national team is full of achievements; get to know