Lionel Messi holds the record for the most awards given by the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics). In May 2025, he was named the best footballer in history, surpassing Pele and Diego Maradona, who ranked second and third respectively. Cristiano Ronaldo is in fourth place.
Messi has now achieved a new record recognized by this organization. He and his former teammate, Sergio Busquets, have played the most matches together in football history. Their total of 653 games is made up of their time at Barcelona and Inter Miami.
During their years at Barcelona, they won significant titles including eight La Liga championships and three UEFA Champions League trophies.
Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets: Football’s Top Duo
This new record places Messi and Busquets ahead of Busquets’ previous partnership with Gerard Pique, with whom he played 620 matches at Barcelona. They also surpass the German duo of Thomas Muller and Sepp Maier, who played together for Bayern Munich and the Germany national team.
They reached the milestone of 653 matches after Inter Miami’s victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Final on December 6. Following that match, Busquets announced his retirement from professional soccer.
In other news, Messi is currently dealing with a muscle injury in his left hamstring, which he sustained during a friendly against Barcelona de Guayaquil. As a result, the exhibition match against Independiente del Valle, originally scheduled for February 13, has been postponed to February 26.
Messi’s readiness for Inter Miami’s MLS 2026 debut against LAFC on Saturday remains uncertain. Coach Javier Mascherano is expected to take a cautious approach regarding Messi’s recovery, according to World Soccer Talk.