2026 World Cup Sets 4 Quarterfinals as 8 Teams Advance After Round-of-16 Upsets

Q: What would a historic back-to-back World Cup truly add to Lionel Messi's already immortal legacy?

A second straight World Cup would move Lionel Messi’s legacy from complete to virtually untouchable. Messi already has what most greats spend careers chasing: a World Cup title, records for goals and assists at the tournament, and a body of club and international work that has placed him at the center of the greatest-of-all-time debate. What back-to-back titles would add is not basic validation, but a rarer kind of historical authority: proof that he was the defining figure of an era, not just the best player in a single triumph. That matters because repeat champions are almost nonexistent in World Cup history. Only Italy in 1934 and 1938 and Brazil in 1958 and 1962 have done it. No nation has repeated in the modern era, and recent defending champions have often struggled even to make deep runs. If Argentina were to do it in 2026, Messi would become the face of one of the rarest achievements in the sport. It would also sharpen the comparison with every other legend. Pelé won three World Cups, but football’s modern competitive depth, tactical sophistication and global parity make a repeat title now especially difficult. For Messi, doing it at 39, as captain, would add longevity, leadership and sustained elite influence to a résumé already described as complete. So the real addition would be this: not merely another trophy, but a unique claim to having led the last truly dominant World Cup dynasty, something football has not seen for decades.

3 articles · Updated · Sports Illustrated · Jul 7

Eight teams remain after the round of 16, with quarterfinals now set: France-Morocco on July 9, Spain-Belgium on July 10, and Norway-England plus Argentina-Switzerland on July 11.
Brazil, Portugal and all three co-hosts—the United States, Mexico and Canada—were eliminated, clearing the path for a last-eight field shaped by several upsets and narrow escapes.
France reached the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over Paraguay and faces unbeaten Morocco, which beat Canada 3-0 after earlier knocking out the Netherlands.
Norway arrives after Erling Haaland's late double beat Brazil 2-1, while Argentina needed an 11-minute comeback from 2-0 down to edge Egypt 3-2 and Switzerland advanced on penalties for its first quarterfinal in 72 years.