Lionel Messi showcased his incredible skills during a World Cup training session in Kansas City, as a new study confirms he remains the 'biggest player on the planet.' Research conducted by Searchbloom using Google Trends data revealed that 'Messi World Cup' achieved a peak relative interest index of 100 in both the US and global markets over a 24-month period leading up to the tournament.
Messi Dominates Interest Index
The study measured every other player against Messi. French superstar Kylian Mbappe peaked at an index of 72 following an injury scare in February 2026, while Cristiano Ronaldo, confirmed in Portugal's squad at age 41 for his last World Cup, reached 65. England captain Harry Kane came ninth in the table.
Cody C. Jensen, CEO of Searchbloom, stated: 'Messi does not have a steady baseline. He has valleys and spikes, and the spikes track news cycles with mechanical precision.'
Training Session Highlights
During training, Messi performed a shimmy to send a teammate the wrong way, laughed through a game of head tennis, and remained relaxed under the watch of hundreds of cameras. England legend Paul Gascoigne praised Messi, telling the Mirror: 'I cannot believe he is about to play at his sixth World Cup. That is amazing. But he really looks after himself.'
Organisers expect around 700,000 fans to visit Kansas, one of the host cities, with Messi being a major attraction. The world's media lined up to see the Argentine superstar, who turns 39 on June 24.
Security Operation
Argentina's team bus is led by a cavalcade of police outriders as it travels to training, with Messi and his team at the center of a huge security operation. Media covering the sessions are required to park a mile away and take a yellow school bus to the £85m KC training base. 'It is a lot of work,' said one security official.
