Messi, Ochoa and Neymar: the day legends took over the 2026 World Cup
- On June 24, 2026 three legends came together: Messi turned 39 years old, Ochoa said goodbye and Neymar returned.
- Ochoa is the first goalkeeper present in six World Cups and the oldest Mexican to play in a World Cup match (40 years and 346 days).
- Neymar returned to a World Cup 1,289 days later and equaled Pelé, Cafú and Djalma Santos with four World Cups played.
Some matchdays belong to the youngsters — the Lamine Yamals of the world — and some belong to the old guard. 24 June 2026 was one of the latter: three living legends, three generations of magic, writing a page all at once that gives you goosebumps. Messi blowing out candles, Ochoa saying goodbye and Neymar rising from the dead. Here's to them.
Messi, 39 and counting, the throne still his. The Argentina captain turned 39 right in the middle of the group stage, and he's doing it as only he can: the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer (18 goals, having overtaken Klose), in his sixth World Cup and with Argentina already through. Twenty years celebrating birthdays in blue and white, and the bloke's still running the show. I broke down his record in detail here.
Ochoa, the most beautiful goodbye. Guillermo "Memo" Ochoa came on in the dying stages of México 3-0 Czechia to write himself into history: he became the first goalkeeper in the world to appear in six World Cups (joining the Messi and Cristiano club) and the oldest Mexican player ever to feature in a World Cup match, at 40 years and 346 days. The entire Estadio Ciudad de México stood up. A career send-off for the history books.
Neymar, the King returns. And we were missing him. Neymar stepped back into a World Cup 1,289 days after his last appearance (the Qatar 2022 quarters), coming on against Scotland after battling through a long injury nightmare. At 34, he equals Pelé, Cafú and Djalma Santos as the only Brazilians to play in four World Cups. Hard Rock Stadium in Miami welcomed him like what he is: a legend who wasn't ready to leave yet.
The twist nobody saw coming. And you know who pulled off one of the most famous saves in World Cup history against Neymar? Spot on: Ochoa, in that Brasil-México match back in 2014. Twelve years on, both still on stage, in the same tournament. Football sometimes writes scripts you couldn't buy with money. Let's enjoy them while they're here, because this doesn't happen twice. Puxa.
Frequently asked questions
Why was 24 June 2026 historic for the legends?
Three milestones coincided: Messi turned 39 as the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, Ochoa said goodbye in his sixth World Cup and Neymar returned with Brazil after 1,289 days without playing in a World Cup.
What record did Ochoa break at the 2026 World Cup?
He became the first goalkeeper in history to appear in six World Cups (alongside Messi and Cristiano as the only footballers with that record) and the oldest Mexican player to play a World Cup match, at 40 years and 346 days.
How long had Neymar gone without playing in a World Cup?
1,289 days. His last appearance had been in the quarter-finals of Qatar 2022 against Croatia. With his return against Scotland, he matches Pelé, Cafú and Djalma Santos as Brazilians with four World Cups played.
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