Most assists at FIFA World Cup: Lionel Messi becomes first in history with 10 goal contributions - Complete list
Lionel Messi became the first player in history to record 10 assists in the FIFA Worl Cup. Legedary Diego Maradona sits second in the list with eight to his name.
Lionel Messi became the first player in the history of the FIFA World Cup with 10 assists on Sunday after the Argentina captain's corner was headed in by Alexis Mac Allister at the Kansas City Stadium in the final quarterfinal game. Making his sixth World Cup appearance and probably his last, Messi once again rose to the occasion as Argentina took a 10th minute lead.
The defensive-minded Switzerland only conceded three goals in five games in this edition of the World Cup, and they had dominated the ball in the opening minutes at Arrowhead Stadium. But Messi once again made his mark, helping to earn a corner and ultimately turning it into an early goal.
It was the earliest Argentina has scored in this World Cup. It was also the first time the Swiss have trailed. The goal took some early pressure off Argentina, who struggled to beat Cabo Verde and Egypt in the round of 32 and round of 16 matches respectively.
Argentina, the three-time and reigning World Cup champion, are trying to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend its title. England awaits the Argentina-Switzerland winner after beating Norway.
Messi goes past Maradona
The record for most assists in FIFA World Cup was earlier broken by Messi - his ninth - during Argentina's first goal against Egypt (scored by Cristian Romero), surpassing fellow Diego Maradona, who had eight. Messi's first-ever World Cup assist came in 2006 on his tournament debut against Serbia and Montenegro, with the goal scored by Hernan Crespo.
He made one assist each in 2010 and 2014 before gathering two in 2018.
Most assists in FIFA World Cup (since 1966)
| No. of Assists | Player |
|---|---|
| 10 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
| 8 | Diego Maradona (Argentina) |
| 7 | Pierre Littbarski (Germany), Grzegorz Lato (Poland) |
| 6 | David Beckham (England), Pelé (Brazil), Thomas Häßler (Germany), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Thomas Müller (Germany), Uwe Seeler (Germany) |
| 5 | Zico (Brazil), Antoine Griezmann (France), Ivan Perisic (Croatia), Gerd Müller (Germany), Michael Ballack (Germany), Juan Sebastián Verón (Argentina), Juan Cuadrado (Colombia), Robert Gadocha (Poland) |
The Argentina captain did one better during their triumphant 2022 World Cup campaign. In the 2026 edition, Messi has two assists to his tally, in the list headed by France's Kylian Mbappe (3).
List of Messi's World Cup assists
| Edition | Argentina's Opponent | Goalscorer |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Serbia and Montenegro | Hernan Crespo |
| 2010 | Mexico | Carlos Tevez |
| 2014 | Switzerland | Angel Di Maria |
| 2018 | France | Gabriel Mercado |
| 2018 | France | Angel Di Maria |
| 2022 | Croatia | Julian Alvarez |
| 2022 | Netherlands | Nahuel Molina |
| 2022 | Mexico | Enzo Fernandez |
| 2026 | Egypt | Cristian Romero |
| 2026 | Switzerland | Alexis Mac Allister |
Meanwhile, Messi became the fourth player to play in four FIFA World Cup quarterfinal matches. The Argentine achieved the feat against Switzerland on Sunday and joined the likes of Germans Lothar Matthäus, Miroslav Klose, and Uwe Seeler in the elite list.
Meanwhile, Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez were on target as Argentina brushed aside 10-man Switzerland for a 3-1 victory and march into the semifinal. The defending champions, Argentina, will take on England in the last four while France face Spain.
Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.
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Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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