Hugo Sanchez Says He Could Have Matched Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s World Cup Record

The legendary Mexico and Real Madrid striker believes circumstances prevented him from achieving the milestone.

True to form, former Real Madrid and Mexico striker Hugo Sanchez has once again made headlines around the world after claiming he could have achieved the historic milestone that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi may reach at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

HUGO BEING HUGO

With the confidence that has always defined him, the “Pentapichichi” didn’t hesitate to say that playing in six World Cups could have been within his reach, although circumstances ultimately worked against him.

“I probably would have been the first player to appear in six World Cups. It was possible because of my career and the level I was playing at during that time,” said “Hugol” during a press conference at a promotional event for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted this summer by Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

If Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo manage to play in six World Cups, it would mark a historic achievement, considering only a handful of players have ever featured in five editions of the tournament. Can they do it? And could Hugo Sánchez really have gotten there first?

THE THREE WORLD CUPS HE PLAYED IN

The legendary Real Madrid goalscorer only appeared in three World Cups and had relatively modest performances. So why did he miss the other three?

Hugo Sánchez made his World Cup debut at just 19 years old in Argentina 1978, where Mexico endured a disastrous campaign, finishing the group stage without a single point despite the high expectations surrounding him and his young generation.

With massive anticipation heading into his second World Cup, Sanchez led the line for host nation Mexico at the 1986 tournament. He is remembered both for the costly penalty miss against Paraguay and for the tensions he reportedly had with teammates inside the locker room. He scored his only World Cup goal in the opening match against Belgium — who eventually finished fourth in the tournament — at the iconic Azteca Stadium.

By the time USA 1994 arrived, Sanchez was no longer the superstar figure he had been at Real Madrid. One of the most memorable images from that tournament was seeing him ready to come off the bench during Mexico’s Round of 16 clash against Bulgaria, only for coach Miguel Mejía Barón to never put him into the match, even in extra time. Mexico would eventually be eliminated on penalties, leaving fans forever wondering what might have happened if Hugo had entered the game.

THE THREE WORLD CUPS HE MISSED

Sánchez did not participate in Spain 1982 after Mexico failed to qualify. Despite Hugo finishing as top scorer during the qualifying campaign, Honduras and El Salvador secured the World Cup spots ahead of El Tri.

Italy 1990 may have been the tournament where Sanchez was at the peak of his powers in Europe, but Mexico was banned from the competition because of the infamous “Cachirules” scandal, involving the use of overage players in youth competitions.

By France 1998, Sánchez was in the twilight of his career while playing for Celaya in Mexico. However, he failed to convince then-national team coach Manuel Lapuente to include him in the squad.

With the exception of Italy 1990, the circumstances surrounding the other two World Cups Hugo Sánchez missed were, to some extent, within his control and could have worked in his favor.