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

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

Aside from goal contributions, Messi has been dominant in several ways: passing, passing, possessions won, and several other advanced metrics. It is absolutely incredible how versatile the 39-year-old has been through seven matches of the tournament. He is currently -800 to win his third Ballon d’Or and +100 to win the Golden Boot.

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

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you register or place a bet, FOX Sports may receive compensation. Read more about Sports betting at FOX Sports.

• Messi’s 8 goals They are tied with Kylian Mbappé for the most than any other player.
• His 2 goals from outside the area They are tied with Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé (France), Yasin Ayari (Sweden) and Malik Tillman (USA) for the most players.
• His 34 shots They are the best of any player. His 18 shots on goal They are the second players with the most goals 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 will result in a goal.
• His 5.75 xG on target He is the third tallest player behind Mbappé (7.11) and Jude Bellingham (5.89).

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

• messi has 25 dribbles completedthe most of any player.
• He has 48 shotswhich is the second most of any player behind Yamal (52); A take-on is when a player attempts to beat an opponent one-on-one by dribbling them while keeping the ball.
• messi has 14 possessions ended in a goal; An individual possession is the continuous control of the ball by a player, from the moment he wins it to the moment he releases it (passing, shooting, dribbling or losing it).
• He has 170 possessions finishing in the attacking thirdthe third most of any player behind Rodri (205) and Olise (172).
• messi has 76 possessions that ended in a shotthe most of any player.
• Messi has averaged 63.6 seconds per possessionthe second longest average of all forwards behind Julián Alvarez (min. 400 minutes played).

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

• Messi has created 11 set-piece opportunitieswhich is the most for any player.
• he has had 8 direct free kickswhich is the most for any player.
• messi has 4 direct free kick attempts on goalwhich is the most for any player.
• Messi has taken 34 corners, the second most of any 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 has been involved in 13 sequences that end with a goalthe most of any player; A sequence is a step of a team’s play that involves a continuous set of possessions and ends with defensive actions, interruptions of play or a shot.
• he has had 121 sequences with nine or more passes.the most outstanding of all forwards; That’s also 35 more than the next-highest forward, Lamine Yamal (86).
• Has been involved in 256 sequences ending in the attacking third.the second player with the highest number of players 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) (minimum five games played and four goals scored).

• Messi has scored 21 goalsthe most of any man or woman in World Cup history.
• messi has 12 assiststhe largest amount recorded in a World Cup (since 1966).
• Messi now has scored or assisted in 11 consecutive World Cup matcheslongest streak on record (since 1966).
• Against Algeria he became the Oldest player to score a hat-trick in the World Cup (39 years).
• messi has played 33 games and won 23 gamesthe most of any 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 in score seven goals in multiple World Cupsalongside Mbappé.
• have now He scored a goal against 15 different opponents. in the World Cup, the most of any player in World Cup history.
• he is up to the task 17 goals without penalties in the World Cuptied with Mbappé for the most in tournament history.