Lionel Messi has done something no footballer has managed since FIFA started handing out Man of the Match awards: he has won 17 of them at World Cup tournaments. The previous record sat at 11. Messi now owns that benchmark by a considerable margin, and he is still playing.
Cristiano Ronaldo sits second on the all-time list with 9 MOTM awards. Messi has nearly doubled that tally.
From Argentina to the blockchain
Messi’s deal with Socios.com, valued at over $20 million, helped anchor the fan token ecosystem around the Argentine national team. Fan tokens work like tradeable loyalty points that give holders access to club or team votes, merchandise, and experiences. The $ARG token is among those most directly tied to Argentina’s World Cup fortunes.
Messi’s crypto influence goes beyond fan tokens. In July 2024, he promoted the WATER meme coin on Instagram. The token surged 350% within hours of that post.
