Lionel Messi rewrites World Cup history with unique milestone
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is nearing its conclusion, and Lionel Messi has once again etched his name into football history with another extraordinary achievement on the sport's biggest stage.
Details: According to Opta, only three players since detailed records began in 1966 have created at least 15 chances and attempted at least 15 shots during the knockout stage of a single World Cup.
- 1986 – Diego Maradona (22 shots, 16 chances created)
- 1990 – Andreas Brehme (17 shots, 15 chances created)
- 2026 – Lionel Messi (18 shots, 15 chances created)
Following Argentina's quarter-final victory over Switzerland at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, captain Lionel Messi also met Italian football legend Roberto Baggio and presented him with the shirt he wore during the match.
Reminder: The semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are just around the corner, to be followed by the third-place play-off and the final. However, for many referees, the tournament has already come to an end.
