Argentina won the 2022 World Cup, beating France 4-2 on penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw in what’s being called the greatest World Cup final of all time and adding another star above their badge.
That World Cup was supposedly the last shot for the legend Lionel Messi to win his first World Cup, yet he’s back in 2026 and has joined Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players to score in five separate World Cups.
Messi delivered two goals in the 2022 final and had an epic World Cup, and scored against Algeria from distance to kick off the 2026 tournament.
See below for a look at Argentina’s past performances at the men’s World Cup, including their wins and results year-by-year.
How many times has Argentina won the World Cup?
After winning in Qatar in 2022, Argentina has won the World Cup three times and they had to wait nearly forty years since their last title in 1986. Argentina won the 1978 edition on home soil, defeating Netherlands 3-1 in the final thanks in part extra time goals from Mario Kempes and Daniel Bertoni. Argentina last won the tournament in 1986, led by Diego Maradona, culminating in a 3-2 win over West Germany in the final at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca.
How many times has Argentina played in the World Cup?
Argentina has competed in 18 World Cups, including the 2022 edition in Qatar. The last time the team failed to qualify for a World Cup was in 1970, and the last time the Argentinians failed to advance from the group stage was in 2002. Argentina is a three-time World Cup runner-up (1930, 1990, 2014).
Has Lionel Messi ever won a World Cup?
Now he has. Widely considered as one of the greatest players in the history of the game, Lionel Messi has now won a World Cup title. He is a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, a ten-time La Liga champion and a four-time UEFA Champions League winner. He won his first major international title with Argentina’s victory in the 2021 Copa America and before the 2022 World Cup the closest he has come to a World Cup title is Argentina’s 2014 runner-up finish to Germany. Now, he has joined the legendary Diego Maradona and Pele in leading their nations to a World Cup. The GOAT debate is over. Messi has won the World Cup he was missing.
What are Lionel Messi’s stats at the World Cup?
He’s done pretty well, everybody.
Messi’s hat trick against Algeria to open the 2026 tournament has him level with Miroslav Klose for the most goals in World Cup history.
He now has 16 goals and eight assists in a record 27 World Cup appearances.
Argentina World Cup finishes by year
1930 - Runners up
1934 - Eliminated in first round
1938 - 1954: Did not compete
1958: Eliminated in group stage
1962: Eliminated in group stage
1966: Eliminated in quarterfinals
1970: Did not qualify
1974: Eliminated in second group stage
1978: Tournament champions
1982: Eliminated in second group stage
1986: Tournament champions
1990: Runners up
1994: Eliminated in round of 16
1998: Eliminated in quarterfinals
2002: Eliminated in group stage
2006: Eliminated in quarterfinals
2010: Eliminated in quarterfinals
2014: Runners up
2018: Eliminated in round of 16
2022: Winners
2026: In progress.
