5 FIFA World Cup 2026 Stars Who Publicly Idolise Lionel Messi and Could Share the Biggest Stage With Him

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is shaping up to be a historic tournament for many reasons. Hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, it will feature some of the biggest stars in football while potentially serving as the final World Cup appearance for Lionel Messi.

For more than two decades, Messi has influenced football in a way few athletes have ever influenced their sport. His achievements with Barcelona, Argentina, and later in his career at club level transformed him from a football superstar into a global sporting icon.

Perhaps the clearest evidence of his influence can be seen in the current generation of elite footballers. Many of the players expected to headline the 2026 World Cup have openly admitted that Messi was their childhood hero, role model, and inspiration.

Some grew up copying his dribbles in school playgrounds. Others studied his movement and creativity while developing their own styles. A few have even had the opportunity to share the pitch with him.

With the tournament approaching, these five players stand out as some of the most prominent World Cup participants who have publicly described Lionel Messi as their idol.

Why Lionel Messi’s Influence Extends Beyond Argentina

Football history has produced many great players, but only a handful have fundamentally influenced how future generations view the sport.

Messi belongs to that rare category.

His impact goes beyond goals, trophies, and records. Young footballers admire the way he approaches the game, combining technical brilliance with humility, consistency, and an almost unmatched understanding of space.

What makes Messi unique is that players across every position admire him. Wingers, strikers, attacking midfielders, and even deeper midfield playmakers have all cited him as a major influence.

The following five players illustrate just how wide that influence remains heading into the 2026 World Cup.

5. Christian Pulisic – America’s Biggest Star Grew Up Admiring Messi

As the face of the United States Men’s National Team, Christian Pulisic enters the World Cup carrying enormous expectations.

The American captain has spent years establishing himself as one of the most recognizable footballers in North America. Yet despite creating his own identity, Pulisic has never hidden his admiration for Messi.

When asked about the famous Messi-versus-Ronaldo debate earlier in his career, Pulisic openly admitted that the Argentine was his favorite player growing up.

That admission reflects the experience of countless young footballers worldwide who spent their childhood watching Messi dominate European football.

The possibility of a USA versus Argentina matchup would create one of the tournament’s most compelling storylines. It would feature America’s biggest football star competing directly against the player who inspired him during his formative years.

For Pulisic, sharing a World Cup pitch with Messi would represent a full-circle moment in a career that has already broken numerous barriers for American soccer.

4. Jamal Musiala – Germany’s Creative Genius Learned From Watching Messi

Jamal Musiala has developed into one of football’s most intelligent and technically gifted midfielders.

His ability to glide past defenders, operate in tight spaces, and create chances has drawn comparisons with some of the game’s elite playmakers.

It is therefore unsurprising that Messi played a significant role in shaping his football education.

Musiala has repeatedly spoken about watching Messi and Neymar during his childhood. He admired their ability to entertain, create magic, and make difficult actions appear effortless.

Many of Musiala’s strongest attributes mirror qualities often associated with Messi:

• Exceptional close control.
• Creative decision-making.
• Spatial awareness.
• Ability to beat defenders in one-on-one situations.
• Calmness under pressure.

Germany enters the tournament with ambitions of returning to football’s summit, and Musiala will be central to those plans.

If Germany and Argentina meet during the knockout rounds, one of football’s brightest young stars could finally test himself against his childhood idol on the sport’s biggest stage.

3. Pedri – The Barcelona Midfielder Who Shared a Dressing Room With His Hero

Unlike many young players who admired Messi from afar, Pedri experienced something even more special.

He actually played alongside him.

The Barcelona midfielder arrived at Camp Nou during the final stage of Messi’s legendary career with the club. As a teenager, he suddenly found himself training and competing alongside the player he considered the greatest footballer in history.

For Pedri, the experience was both inspiring and surreal.

Few athletes ever get the opportunity to share a dressing room with the person who inspired them to pursue their profession.

That unique connection separates Pedri from many players of his generation.

Today, he has become one of Spain’s most influential midfielders and a cornerstone of their World Cup ambitions. Yet his admiration for Messi remains unchanged.

The possibility of a Spain versus Argentina clash would create one of the tournament’s most emotional narratives, placing Pedri opposite the football icon he once watched from just a few feet away in training sessions.

2. Julian Alvarez – The World Champion Living His Childhood Dream

Few football stories capture the influence of Lionel Messi better than Julian Alvarez‘s journey.

Growing up in Argentina, Alvarez idolized Messi long before he became an international star. Like millions of Argentine children, he dreamed of one day representing his country alongside the nation’s greatest footballer.

Remarkably, that dream became reality.

Alvarez not only played alongside Messi but helped Argentina win the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The transformation from admirer to teammate represents one of the most remarkable aspects of his career.

Today, Alvarez is viewed as one of Argentina’s most important attacking players and a potential leader of the national team once Messi eventually retires.

Very few players get the chance to experience such a complete football journey with their hero.

For Alvarez, the 2026 World Cup may represent the final opportunity to share football’s biggest stage with the player who inspired his career.

1. Lamine Yamal – The Closest Thing Football Has to Messi’s Successor

No player in world football is compared to Lionel Messi more frequently than Lamine Yamal.

The comparisons are understandable.

Like Messi, Yamal emerged from Barcelona’s famous academy system. Like Messi, he is a left-footed right winger capable of producing moments of brilliance from seemingly impossible situations.

And like Messi, he has become a global superstar before reaching his twenties.

However, what makes Yamal’s admiration especially significant is the respect he shows toward Messi’s legacy.

Rather than avoiding comparisons, he openly acknowledges Messi as the greatest player in football history and a major source of inspiration.

Yamal has repeatedly emphasized that Messi’s influence extends beyond football. For many young players, Messi represents not only sporting excellence but also professionalism, dedication, and consistency.

At just 18 years old, Yamal enters the 2026 World Cup as one of the tournament’s most exciting talents.

Yet even with his rapid rise, he recognizes the enormous gap between potential and legacy.

The possibility of Spain facing Argentina would create one of the most fascinating narratives in modern football: the sport’s greatest icon potentially competing against the player many believe could define the next generation.

The Common Traits These Players Admire in Messi

Although these five players come from different countries, leagues, and football cultures, their admiration for Messi is built on remarkably similar qualities.

These qualities explain why Messi’s influence extends far beyond Argentina or Barcelona supporters.

His style of play has become a blueprint for an entire generation of footballers.

Could Messi Face His Biggest Admirers at the 2026 World Cup?

One of the most intriguing aspects of the tournament is the possibility of direct encounters.

Depending on how the knockout bracket develops, Messi could potentially face several of the players who grew up idolizing him.

Such moments often produce unforgettable sporting images.

Football history is filled with examples of one generation passing the torch to the next, and the 2026 World Cup could provide multiple examples of that process unfolding in real time.

For players like Yamal, Musiala, Pedri, and Pulisic, competing against Messi would represent more than just another international match.

It would be an opportunity to test themselves against the player who helped shape their football dreams.

Conclusion: Messi’s Greatest Legacy May Be the Players He Inspired

When discussions about Lionel Messi eventually shift from trophies and records to legacy, one factor will stand above almost everything else: influence.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup features a generation of elite footballers who openly acknowledge the role Messi played in their development. From Christian Pulisic and Jamal Musiala to Pedri, Julian Alvarez, and Lamine Yamal, his impact can be seen across continents and playing styles.

Some admired him from afar. Some became teammates. Others may finally face him on the World Cup stage for the first time.

Regardless of what happens during the tournament, their stories highlight a simple reality.

Lionel Messi’s legacy is not limited to goals, assists, or championships. It also lives on through the countless players whose love for football was shaped by watching him play.