Which Pele record Lionel Messi can break at FIFA World Cup 2026?
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Messi is likely to participate in his sixth World Cup.
After leading Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Lionel Messi has already cemented his status as one of the best players in World Cup history. However, the Argentine captain has the potential to shatter even another historical record at the biggest football competition.
In addition to being a remarkable accomplishment in itself, the superstar is getting ready for what is anticipated to be his sixth and final FIFA World Cup. It also offers him the chance to break one of Pelé’s final significant records.
Surprisingly, the record is not about goals but rather World Cup assists. A statistic that demonstrates both legends’ extraordinary capacity to impact games on the largest platform.
With 10 assists overall—a record set between the 1958 and 1970 editions—Pelé is currently the all-time assist leader in FIFA World Cup final tournaments.
Lionel Messi targets new record at 2026 World Cup
Lionel Messi, who presently has eight World Cup assists from his five tournament appearances, is directly behind him. He made his first assist in Germany in 2006, then in South Africa in 2010 and in Brazil in 2014. Then, in 2018, he added two more.
In Qatar 2022, he recorded three assists during Argentina’s historic victory.
Pelé also holds another incredible record, with six assists in a single World Cup: the most assists in a single tournament.
Messi may have the best chance to catch up to or even surpass Pelé’s remarkable record during Argentina’s group stage games.
The current world champions will play Algeria on June 16 to start their campaign. They will then play Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 28.
With attacking players like Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez, and Enzo Fernández surrounding him, Messi will once more have multiple chances to keep contributing assists on the grandest platform in football.
How many World Cup assists does Lionel Messi have?
Eight.
How many World Cup assists does Pelé have?
Ten.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.
After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.