# Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend

Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend is a biographical documentary series produced in a collaboration between Apple TV+, SMUGGLER Entertainment and Pegsa Group. The series follows Lionel Messi's triumphant career, his overall impact on football and shows his journey of highs and lows with the Argentina national football team across five World Cups, culminating with his fairytale ending of winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

## Cast

* Lionel Messi
* Ángel Di María
* Rodrigo De Paul
* Enzo Fernández
* Emiliano Martínez
* Sergio Agüero
* Lionel Scaloni
* Andrés Cantor
* Gary Lineker

## Episodes

| No. in series | Title | Featured matches | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | "The Last Cup" | Argentina 1–2 Saudi Arabia | Juan Baldana & Daniel Rosenfeld | Juanma Martínez Medina | 21 February 2024 (2024-02-21) |
| Having been on a 36-match unbeaten streak since 2019, the reigning champions of the Copa América and the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions get the most dream-shattering start to the World Cup. Messi reflects on his career start with FC Barcelona and his first World Cup goal with Argentina at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. ||||||
| 2 | "We Can Dream Again" | Argentina 2–0 Mexico Poland 0–2 Argentina Argentina 2–1 Australia | Juan Baldana & Daniel Rosenfeld | Juanma Martínez Medina | 21 February 2024 (2024-02-21) |
| Messi remembers his time with Diego Maradona as Argentina prepare for a do-or-die clash against rivals Mexico. Afterwards Argentina get a dominant win against Poland in the final group match and advance as group winners. In the Round of 16 Argentina overcome Australia in another dominant display. ||||||
| 3 | "The Weight of a Nation" | Netherlands 2–2 (3–4 pen.) Argentina (Battle of Lusail) Argentina 3–0 Croatia | Juan Baldana & Daniel Rosenfeld | Juanma Martínez Medina | 21 February 2024 (2024-02-21) |
| Messi looks back with regret at the 2014 FIFA World Cup final defeat, the subsequent unsuccessful campaigns at the Copa América and talks about all the criticism and abuse he experienced during his career with the national team which led to his early international retirement in 2016 and his comeback. Argentina win a dramatic and hard-fought battle against their historic rivals the Netherlands and advance to the semi-finals where they easily overcome Croatia thanks to Messi brilliance. ||||||
| 4 | "Redemption" | Argentina 3–3 (4–2 pen.) France (2022 FIFA World Cup final) | Juan Baldana & Daniel Rosenfeld | Juanma Martínez Medina | 21 February 2024 (2024-02-21) |
| With the chance of leading Argentina to World Cup glory and realizing a lifelong dream, Messi takes on Mbappé and France in the most epic and thrilling final in World Cup history. ||||||
* This article is part of a series about Lionel Messi
Argentine professional footballer
Career
International goals
Achievements
Rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo
New Maradona
Eponyms and public art
Cougar
Dog
Liolaemus messii
Sistine Chapel of Football
Media
Messi (2014)
Messi (2017)
Messi and Maud (2017)
Take the Ball Pass the Ball (2018)
Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend (2024)
Family
Antonela Roccuzzo
Maxi Biancucchi
Emanuel Biancucchi
Related
Hong Kong v Inter Miami
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## Release

The series premiered on Apple TV+ on 21 February 2024.

## Reception

On IMDb, the docuseries scored a rating of 8.4/10 based on 402 audience reviews. In the first week of its release, it ranked as the 8th most watched TV show worldwide on Apple TV+, and ended the first week in Apple TV+'s Top 10 list in over 50 countries.