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

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

Aside from goal contributions, Messi was dominant in several ways: through balls, contact shots, possessions won, and several other advanced metrics. It’s absolutely incredible how much versatility the 39-year-old has shown over the seven games of the tournament. He is currently -800 to win his third Ballon d’Or and +100 to win the Golden Shoe.

Here’s a closer look at the numbers behind Messi’s brilliance in this tournament, ahead of the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain on July 19.

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

• that of Messi 4 assists are tied with Brahim Díaz, Bruno Guimarães and Martin Ødegaard for second among all players (Michael Olise has the most, with five).
• He has 49 crosses and 19 completed crossesboth the most of any player.
• Messi finished 21 key passesthe most of any player; A key pass is a pass that leads directly to a shot on goal by a teammate.
• that of Messi 158 passes in the attacking third are the second player behind Pedri (175); The attacking third is the area around the opposing goal.
• He has 4.12 xA (expected passes)who is the highest of all players; xA measures the probability that a completed pass results in an assist.

• Messi has 25 dribbles completedthe most of any player.
• He has 48 shotswho is the second player behind Yamal (52); A takeover is when a player attempts to beat an opponent one-on-one by dribbling past them while keeping the ball.
• Messi has 14 possessions ending in a goal; an individual possession is a player’s continuous control of the ball, from the time they retrieve it to the time they release it (by passing, shooting, dribbling, or losing it).
• He has 170 possessions ending in the offensive thirdthe third player behind Rodri (205) and Olise (172).
• Messi has 76 possessions ending in a shotthe most of any player.
• Messi has an average 63.6 seconds per possessionthe second longest average of all strikers behind Julián Alvarez (min. 400 minutes played).

• 25 chancesthe most of any player; A chance is defined as any play that leads to a player making a shot.
• 8 big chances createdthe most of any player; A big chance is an action that results in a clear opportunity to score a goal.
• 15 through ballstied with Michael Olise for the most players; A through ball is a pass made into open space between two defenders for an attacker to receive the ball behind the defenders.
• 43 touches in the opposing areathe fifth player behind Lamine Yamal (52), Mbappé (52), Mikel Oyarzabal (47) and Vini Júnior (44).

• Messi created 11 chances from set pieceswhich is the most of any player.
• He had 8 shots from direct free kickswhich is the most of any player.
• Messi has 4 direct free kick attempts on targetwhich is the most of any player.
• Messi took 34 corners, the second most important player behind Canadian Stephen Eustáquio (44).

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

• Messi was involved in 13 sequences ending in a goalthe most of any player; A sequence is a passage of play by a team that involves a continuous set of possessions and ends with defensive actions, stoppages in play, or a shot.
• He had 121 sequences with nine or more passesthe most of all attackers; it is also 35 more than the attacker followed by the second, Lamine Yamal (86).
• He was involved in 256 sequences ending in the attacking thirdthe second 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 matches played and four of our goals scored).

• Messi scored 21 goalsthe most men or women in World Cup history.
• Messi has 12 assiststhe record ever recorded in a World Cup (since 1966).
• Messi now has scored or assisted in 11 consecutive World Cup matchesthe longest streak ever recorded (since 1966).
• Against Algeria, he became the oldest player to score a hat trick at the World Cup (39 years old).
• Messi has played 33 matches and won 23 matchesboth the best player in World Cup history.
• With his assist against Egypt, he became the first player to record an assist in six different World Cups.
• He became one of two players to ever achieve score seven goals in multiple World Cupsalongside Mbappé.
• See you now scored a goal against 15 different opponents at the World Cup, the highest number of players in the history of the World Cup.
• He is at 17 goals without penalties in the World Cuptied with Mbappé for the most in tournament history.