Messi surpasses Maradona to become World Cup’s all-time assist leader after Egypt clash

Lionel Messi has added another historic achievement to his remarkable FIFA World Cup career after becoming the tournament’s all-time leading assist provider during Argentina’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt in the 2026 World Cup.

The Argentina captain played a decisive role in the defending champions’ comeback victory, scoring one goal and creating another as they recovered from a two-goal deficit against the African side in their Round of 16 encounter.

Messi’s assist for Cristian Romero’s goal took his World Cup assist tally to nine, allowing him to surpass the previous record held by Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona, who finished his World Cup career with eight assists.

Messi creates history on another memorable World Cup night

The 2026 tournament continues to provide more milestones for Messi, who remains one of the most influential figures in World Cup history.

Against Egypt, the 39-year-old once again demonstrated his ability to decide matches at the highest level, producing the creativity and leadership needed to help Argentina complete a stunning comeback.

After Egypt had established a two-goal advantage, Messi inspired Argentina’s response, first assisting Romero before later scoring a spectacular volley to bring the defending champions level.

Argentina captain continues chasing more records

Messi’s latest achievement adds to an already remarkable World Cup legacy, with the forward now holding the record for the most assists in the competition’s history.

According to Squawka statistics, his nine assists have moved him ahead of Maradona, further strengthening his status among the greatest players to ever compete at the tournament.

The Argentina captain will have the opportunity to extend his record when the world champions face either Colombia or Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

Messi remains World Cup’s leading goalscorer

Alongside his assist record, Messi also holds the distinction of being the tournament’s all-time top scorer.

The Argentina star has scored 21 goals across his World Cup appearances, including eight goals during the current edition.

With Argentina continuing their title defence, Messi remains at the centre of their pursuit of further success as they move deeper into the 2026 FIFA World Cup.