These are the World Cup cleats Messi has dazzled us with. Will he keep it up on the upcoming 2026 World Cup?
From his first appearance on the World Cup stage in 2006 to his storied run in Qatar 2022, Lionel Messi’s cleats have been a reflection of his evolving career, style, and iconic status. Each pair—in partnership with Adidas after a brief Nike phase early on—has unique details that make them coveted collectors’ items.
Read on and check out which cleats Messi wore on each World Cup he participated in.
Germany 2006 🇩🇪
For his World Cup debut, Leo Messi wore Adidas F50 Tunit+ boots honoring Maradona. With a white background and black and light blue stripes, the boots featured an embroidered Argentine flag and the phrase “La Mano de Dios” (“The Hand of God” in Spanish) atop a golden “86.” At just 19 years old, wearing number 19, he entered his first match against Serbia and Montenegro at the 75th minute, where he scored the 6th goal to close out the match with a 6-0 victory for Argentina.
Source: X
South Africa 2010 🇿🇦
By the time the 2010 World Cup came around, Messi was a seasoned player. He had won two consecutive Ballon d’Or awards, yet he still wore his trusty Adidas F50 adizero boots. This time, he sported the F50.8 I in gold, purple, white, and neon yellow. It was his first time in an international competition wearing the iconic number 10, with Maradona as his coach. Leo featured the lightest cleat on the market at the time, which he hoped would add to his speed and improve his performance.
Brazil 2014 🇧🇷
During Brazil 2014, Messi debuted the F50 Adizero “Battle” cleats. All cleats featured a black-and-white design, part of Adidas’s Brazil 2014 campaign, “all in or nothing.” Messi’s cleats being the only exception to this rule, with light blue accents in honor of the Argentine flag. For his birthday, famously celebrated during each World Cup on June 24, he received a special pair in multicolor with an inscription with his then 2-year-old son Tiago’s name.
Birthday edition Nemeziz, Source: Getty
Wearing his Adizero “Battle” cleats, Messi achieved four consecutive Ballon d’Or awards and a record-breaking 91 goals in a calendar year.
10 años del único gol de tiro libre de Leo Messi en la #CopaMundialFIFA. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/BbJraAnwaf
— Copa Mundial FIFA 🏆 (@fifaworldcup_es) June 25, 2024
Russia 2018 🇷🇺
After a tumultuous path to Russia 2018, Adidas released their new Adidas Nemeziz 18 Messi World Cup cleats, designed especially for the star. The cleats were a striking lime green, customized with his name and featuring the classic three stripes in black.
Qatar 2022 🇶🇦
Lionel Messi’s Qatar 2022 cleats, the X Speedportal Leyenda, are arguably his most iconic boots to date. Designed to honor his journey in what was likely his last World Cup, they were inspired by his Germany 2006 F50s. The cleats featured an all-gold design with black, white, and blue accents, the Argentine flag’s “Sun of May,” and his iconic number 10. Wearing his Leyenda cleats, Messi became a world champion, set the record for the most World Cup games played by any soccer player, and became the first Argentine to play in five World Cups, among other achievements.
Extra: Netherlands U-20 2005 🇳🇱
Adidas and Messi have enjoyed a close partnership for a long time, but it wasn’t always this way. During his victorious U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands in 2005, he wore black-and-white Nike Tiempos. At the time, Barcelona had a deal with Nike, so in photos of Messi from 2003 to 2005, you’ll spot various Nike boot models. However, Adidas quickly secured a long-term deal with Messi for the 2006 World Cup and solidified an iconic collaborative relationship that remains strong to this day.
Source: FIFA Facebook
What cleats will Messi wear in the 2026 World Cup? 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇲🇽
Although it’s not official that Leo Messi will participate in the 2026 World Cup, we can speculate on his cleat choices. For the South American qualifiers, he wore brand-new cleats, the X Crazyfast “Las Estrellas”, with three gold stars and a goat silhouette for the “Greatest of All Time.” These personalized boots were inspired by his Leyenda cleats from Qatar 2022, where he won his first World Cup with Argentina. If he does play in 2026, Adidas will likely create a unique design for him, but the gold stars and goat motif will probably remain.
Source: Luster Magazine
Do you want an official Messi cleat? Buy the Join The Planet Leo Messi collectible boot
You might not be able to get Messi’s worn World Cup cleats, unless they get auctioned off for millions of dollars. However, you can get a unique collectible boot endorsed by him. Inspired by his iconic left cleat, the Join The Planet collectible features Messi’s official machine-printed representation of Messi’s signature and a sleek acrylic case for display. Plus, you get access to an exclusive digital experience and a blockchain-based digital certificate of authenticity.
With your purchase, you’ll help Messi’s initiative to make a positive change in the world by using recyclable plastics found in our seas and rivers.
Buy Leo Messi's Join The Planet collectible boot now.