Lionel Messi and his Argentine national team are on American soil in the middle of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Messi, who has been with Inter Miami CF since 2023, is comfortable in familiar territory. With the six-time Golden Shoe Award winner taking the lead, Argentina is 2-0 and hasn't allowed a goal so far in its Group J stage games.
In the opening match against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium on June 16, the 5-foot-7 forward tied Germany's Miroslav Klose's record for the most goals scored in men's World Cup history (16) when he recorded a hat trick. The 39-year-old would make history in the next match against Austria on Monday at Dallas Stadium.
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Messi broke the goals record by scoring both goals for his team in a 2-0 victory over Austria. With the World Cup on American soil combined with Messi's spectacular play, regular sports fans are tuning in to the greatness of the two-time Landon Donovan MVP Award winner.
On Thursday, ESPN unveiled its athlete nominees for the 2026 ESPY Awards. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was nominated not only for Best Soccer Player but also for Best Athlete in Men's Sports.Messi has won multiple ESPYS, most recently in 2023, when he won Best Soccer Player and Best Championship Performance. He was nominated for Best Male Athlete in 2023 but has never won the award.
The other nominees alongside Messi for Best Soccer Player are KC Current's Temwa Chawinga, PSG's Ousmane Dembele, and Barcelona's Alexia Putellas. The other nominees for Best Male Athlete are 2026 NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, the Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
The ESPYS will be hosted at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City on July 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and the ESPN app. Argentina will face Jordan next on Saturday, June 27, at 10:00 p.m. ET.
