World Cup 2026 awaits Messi and Mbappe to break records.

From the first World Cup in Uruguay in 1930 to the present day, the biggest tournament on the planet has witnessed countless memorable records in terms of goals scored, wins won, appearances made, and special individual milestones.

This is the first time World Cup With the number of teams increased from 32 to 48, the number of matches also rose to 104. More matches mean more opportunities for players, coaches, and teams to make history.

Coach with the most wins

Coach Helmut Schon led West Germany through four consecutive World Cups from 1966 to 1978, finishing as runners-up in 1966, third in 1970, and winning in 1974. He still holds the record for managing 25 World Cup matches and winning 16 of them.

However, France's coach Didier Deschamps is likely to surpass this milestone at the 2026 World Cup. Under Deschamps, "Les Bleus" reached the quarter-finals in 2014, won the tournament in 2018, and finished as runners-up in 2022. He has achieved 14 wins in 19 World Cup matches.

With a relatively easy group including Norway, Senegal, and Iraq, the French team is considered capable of going deep in this year's tournament. If that happens, Deschamps would not only break Helmut Schon's record for the most wins but could also equal Vittorio Pozzo's record of two World Cup victories with Italy in 1934 and 1938.

The World Cup with the most goals

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar set a record with 172 goals in 64 matches. However, with the 2026 World Cup increasing to 104 matches, this milestone is almost certain to be surpassed. Even if this year's tournament averages only 2,21 goals per match – the lowest in history since the 1990 World Cup – the total number of goals could still reach around 230, far exceeding the current record.

If the average is maintained like in the 2022 World Cup (2,69 goals per match), this year's tournament could reach nearly 280 goals. In the context of modern football increasingly prioritizing attacking, high-pressing, and open play, the 2026 World Cup could set a record that will stand for a long time, unless FIFA expands the tournament further in the future.

Most players are over 40 years old.

Since the inaugural World Cup in 1930, only seven players aged 40 or older have featured in the tournament. However, those appearances have been scattered across various World Cups. This could change significantly in 2026, when the tournament is likely to feature one of the largest generations of veteran players in World Cup history.

Players who can play at age 40 or older include: Cristiano Ronaldo (41 years old) of Portugal, Manuel Neuer (40 years old) of Germany, Edin Dzeko (40 years old) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Craig Gordon (43 years old) of Scotland, Luka Modric (40 years old) of Croatia, Fernando Muslera (40 years old) of Uruguay and Guillermo Ochoa (40 years old) of Mexico.

However, it remains to be seen how many of them will actually get playing time. But if just two players play for even a minute, the 2026 World Cup will set a record for the number of players over 40 appearing in a single World Cup.

The player with the most goals in World Cup history.

Former French international Just Fontaine once scored 13 goals in a single World Cup in Sweden in 1958. In the following 60 years, this record was only broken three times. West German legend Gerd Muller scored his 14th World Cup goal – the winning goal – in the 1974 World Cup final.

That record stood for over three decades before Ronaldo Nazario scored his 15th World Cup goal in Germany in 2006. Eight years later, Miroslav Klose reclaimed the record with his 16th goal in Germany's historic 7-1 victory over Brazil in the semi-final at the Maracana.

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe both have the chance to become the top scorer in World Cup history this summer. Messi currently has 13 World Cup goals, while Mbappe has scored 12, both closing in on Klose's record.

Meanwhile, players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, and Neymar, with 8 goals each, still have a chance, although the chances are much lower because they would have to score consistently to close the gap.

The youngest player ever to win the Golden Boot.

At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Thomas Muller shone on the world football stage, scoring 5 goals as Germany secured third place. The Bayern Munich striker became the youngest player to win the World Cup Golden Boot, and also won the Best Young Player award at the tournament at the age of 20.

Sixteen years later, Lamine Yamal emerged as a strong contender to break that record. At just 18 years old, Yamal was already considered the best young player in the world and one of the most outstanding stars in football today.

If Spain progresses deep into the tournament, Yamal could potentially compete not only for the Golden Boot but also for several other individual titles before turning 20. However, his physical condition will play a crucial role in whether he can make history this summer.

The youngest player to win the Ballon d'Or.

Ronaldo Nazario participated in the 1998 World Cup as the winner of the European Golden Ball at the age of 21. Although Brazil lost to host nation France in the final and Ronaldo did not perform at his best in that match, he still won the World Cup Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament.

With the exception of Lionel Messi in 2014, every player who has won the World Cup Golden Ball since Ronaldo Nazario has been over 30 years old, demonstrating just how difficult it is for a young player to dominate the World Cup. This is precisely what makes Lamine Yamal a particularly promising name to watch ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Besides Yamal, many other young stars could also break this record, including Lennart Karl, Endrick, and Desire Doue, all of whom are considered talents who could explode onto the scene at the tournament.