Messi logs nine dribbles, two assists; sets two World Cup records
Messi assisted both Argentina goals and completed nine dribbles in their 2-1 World Cup semi‑final win over England on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Enzo Fernández equalised in the 85th minute from Messi’s pass, and Lautaro Martínez headed the winner late in the match, also set up by Messi. England’s Anthony Gordon had opened the scoring in the 55th minute with an assist from Morgan Rogers.
According to OptaJoe, Messi is the first player since 1966 to record nine dribbles and two assists in a single World Cup knockout game. The 39‑year‑old now has 12 assists in World Cup matches overall, ten of which came in knockout rounds; no other player on record from 1966 has more than eight assists in total at the finals.
With the final approaching, Messi’s playmaking raises the question: does this performance cement his legacy as the greatest playmaker in World Cup history, and can Argentina capitalize on his form to lift the trophy?