Messi equals Maradona again: Argentina's greatest No.10s now level on World Cup assists

Lionel Messi continues to redefine football greatness, adding another remarkable chapter to his legendary FIFA World Cup career by equalling Diego Maradona's record for the most assists by an Argentine in the tournament. The milestone came during Argentina's 3-2 victory over Cabo Verde, a match that also saw Messi extend his extraordinary scoring streak and strengthen his claim for another unforgettable World Cup campaign.

Messi's 2026 World Cup

Messi's pinpoint corner created Lisandro Martinez's goal against Cabo Verde, taking his World Cup assist tally to eight—the same as Maradona, who set the benchmark across four World Cups between 1982 and 1994. Messi's first World Cup assist came on his tournament debut in 2006 when he cut the ball back for Hernan Crespo against Serbia and Montenegro. Four years later, he set up Carlos Tevez against Mexico before creating Angel Di Maria's winner against Switzerland in 2014. In Russia 2018, Messi assisted Gabriel Mercado and Di Maria against France, while at Qatar 2022 he registered assists for Julian Alvarez, Nahuel Molina and Enzo Fernandez. Since then, he has consistently combined elite playmaking with prolific goalscoring across six editions of football's biggest tournament.

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Maradona's influence

Maradona's influence on Argentina's 1986 World Cup triumph remains one of the defining individual performances in football history. His vision, dribbling and ability to unlock defences transformed Argentina into world champions. Four decades later, Messi has matched that creative output while carving out a legacy built on extraordinary longevity, consistency and sustained excellence across multiple generations of football. Unlike Maradona, whose World Cup career spanned four tournaments, Messi has maintained elite standards over two decades, adapting his role from explosive winger to deep-lying playmaker and prolific finisher.

The latest assist also highlighted Messi's evolution as a complete attacking player. While he remains Argentina's primary goalscorer, he continues to create opportunities for teammates, underlining why he has remained the heartbeat of the national side for nearly two decades.

Category    i    Diego	Lionel Mess	Maradona
FIFA World Cups played	6 (2006–2026)	4 (1982–1994)
World Cup assists	8	8
World Cup titles	1 (2022)	1 (1986)
World Cup Golden Ball	2 (2014, 2022)	1 (1986)
First World Cup appearance	2006 (Germany)	1982 (Spain)
Latest World Cup appearance	2026	1994 (USA)
Consecutive World Cup matches with an assist record	Level on 8 assists	Held Argentina's record until equalled by Messi
Playing style	Playmaker, goalscorer, creator, deep-lying forward	Playmaker, dribbler, creator, attacking midfielder
Longevity	More than two decades at the World Cup (2006–2026)	12-year World Cup career (1982–1994)
Legacy	Argentina's all-time leading scorer and now joint-leading World Cup assist provider	Led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title and long regarded as the nation's greatest World Cup performer

Messi at FIFA World Cups

If Messi's overall World Cup career has been historic, his performances at the 2026 tournament have elevated it further.

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The Argentine captain opened his campaign in spectacular fashion by scoring the first World Cup hat-trick of his career against Algeria in what was also his 200th appearance for Argentina. He followed that with a clinical brace against Austria before finding the net again against Jordan as Argentina completed the group stage with a perfect record. Those performances made him the tournament's leading scorer heading into the knockout rounds.

Against Cabo Verde

Against Cabo Verde in the Round of 32, Messi once again delivered when it mattered. Latching onto a long pass from Lisandro Martinez in the 29th minute, he calmly chipped goalkeeper Vozinha to give Argentina the lead. Although Cabo Verde twice fought back into the contest, Argentina prevailed 3-2 to book their place in the Round of 16, with Messi contributing both a goal and an assist. Martinez also found the net, while Argentina benefited from an own goal by Diney.

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The strike also extended another astonishing record. Messi became the first player in FIFA World Cup history to score in eight consecutive matches, a streak stretching back to the Round of 16 against Australia during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He also equalled Brazil's Vava by scoring in five successive World Cup knockout matches, matching a record that has stood since 1962.

With seven goals already in the tournament, Messi also leads the race for the Golden Boot, sitting two goals clear of France's Kylian Mbappe. As Argentina continues their title defence, the 39-year-old is once again proving that even after rewriting football's record books, he is still finding new ways to make history.

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