Argentina captain Lionel Messi is on the verge of making more football history, sitting just one assist away from becoming the outright leader for the most assists in FIFA World Cup history.
According to official tournament data, the 38-year-old playmaker currently shares the top spot with fellow Argentine legend Diego Maradona, with both icons tied at eight tournament assists apiece.
The record chase highlights Messi’s unrivaled longevity on the international stage. He already stands alone as the only player in football history to register at least one assist in five different World Cup editions, spanning his appearances in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. A single goal-creating pass in his next World Cup match would break his tie with Maradona and extend his historical playmaker record.
Beyond his creative metrics, Messi is also closing in on the ultimate goalscoring milestone. The Inter Miami forward has scored 13 World Cup goals for Argentina, leaving him just three goals shy of matching Germany’s Miroslav Klose, who holds the all-time tournament record with 16 goals. With Argentina having already secured their place for the expanded 48-team tournament, football analysts note that the extra matches in the new format provide Messi with a historically high mathematical probability of breaking both records.
