Beyond Messi’s goals and assists: the numbers behind his 2026 World Cup run

Lionel Messi’s 2026 World Cup has been historic, and his eight goals and four assists only scratch the surface.

Apart from the goal contributions, Messi has been dominant in several ways – through balls, take-ons, possessions won and several other advanced metrics. It is absolutely incredible how versatile the 39-year-old has been through seven games in the tournament. He is currently -800 to win his third Golden Ball award and +100 to win the Golden Boot.

Here’s a deeper dive into the numbers behind Messi’s brilliance this tournament ahead of the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain on July 19.

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• Messi’s 8 goals is tied with Kylian Mbappé for the most of any player.
• His 2 goals from outside the box is tied with Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé (France), Yasin Ayari (Sweden) and Malik Tillman (USA) for most by any player.
• His 34 shots is the most of any player. His 18 shots on target is the second most of any player behind Mbappé (19).
• Messi has 5.31 xG (expected goals)the second highest of any player behind Mbappé (5.5); xG measures the probability that a shot taken would result in a goal.
• His 5.75 xG on target is the third-highest of any player behind Mbappé (7.11) and Jude Bellingham (5.89).

• Messi’s 4 assists is tied with Brahim Díaz, Bruno Guimarães and Martin Ødegaard for the second most of any player (Michael Olise has the most, with five).
• He has 49 crossings and 19 crossings completedboth most of any player.
• Messi has completed 21 key passesmost of any player; a key pass is a pass that directly leads to a shot on goal by a teammate.
• Messi’s 158 passes in the attacking third is the second most of any player behind Pedri (175); the attacking third is the area around the opponents’ goal.
• He has 4.12 xA (expected assists)which is the highest of any player; xA measures the probability that a pass will result in an assist.

• Messi has 25 dribbles completedmost of any player.
• He has 48 recordingswhich is the second most of any player behind Yamal (52); a take-on is when a player tries to beat an opponent one-on-one by dribbling past them while holding the ball.
• Messi has 14 possessions ending in a goal; an individual possession is one player’s continuous control of the ball, from the moment they receive it to the moment they release it (by passing, shooting, dribbling or dropping it).
• He has 170 possessions ending in the attacking thirdthe third-most of any player behind Rodri (205) and Olise (172).
• Messi has 76 possessions end with a shotmost of any player.
• Messi has been average 63.6 seconds per possessionthe second-longest average of all forwards behind Julián Alvarez (min. 400 minutes played).

• 25 chancesmost of any player; a chance is defined as any play that leads to a player shooting.
• 8 great chances createdmost of any player; a great chance is an action that results in a clear opportunity to score goals.
• 15 through ballstied with Michael Olise for most of any player; a through ball is a pass made into an open space between two defenders so that an attacker can receive the ball behind the defenders.
• 43 touches in the opposition boxthe fifth-most of any player behind Lamine Yamal (52), Mbappé (52), Mikel Oyarzabal (47) and Vini Júnior (44).

• Messi has created 11 chances from set pieceswhich is the most of any player.
• he has had 8 shots from direct free kickswhich is the most of any player.
• Messi has 4 direct free kick attempts on goalwhich is the most of any player.
• Messi has taken 34 corners, the second most of any player behind Canada’s Stephen Eustáquio (44).

Lionel Messi in the FIFA World Cup semi-final vs. England (Photo: Liu Lu/VCG via Getty Images).

• Messi has been involved in 13 sequences ending with a goalmost of any player; a sequence is a passage of play by a team involving a continuous set of possessions and ending with defensive action, a stoppage in play, or a shot.
• he has had 121 sequences with nine or more passesmost of all forwards; it is also 35 more than the forward with the second most, Lamine Yamal (86).
• He has been involved in 256 sequences ending in the attacking thirdthe second most of any player behind Rodri (257).
• Messi has scored a goal every 77.5 minutesthe third best average among all players, behind Erling Haaland (66.4) and Mbappé (76) (min. five games played and four goals scored).

• Messi has scored 21 goalsthe most by any man or woman in World Cup history.
• Messi has 12 assiststhe most recorded at the World Cup (since 1966).
• Messi has it now scored or assisted in 11 straight World Cup matchesthe longest streak ever (since 1966).
• Against Algeria, he became it oldest player to score a hat trick at the WC (age 39).
• Messi has played 33 games and won 23 gamesboth the most by any player in World Cup history.
• With his assist against Egypt, he became the first player ever record an assist in six different World Cups.
• He became one of two players ever scored seven goals in several World Cupstogether with Mbappé.
• Have now scored a goal against 15 different opponents at the World Cup, the most of any player in World Cup history.
• He is up to 17 goals without penalties at the World Cuptied with Mbappé for most in tournament history.