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The Historic Pelé Record Lionel Messi Could Break At The 2026 FIFA World Cup
Lionel Messi heads into his sixth World Cup chasing a legendary record still held by Pelé that could further cement his football immortality.
Messi prepares to write another historic chapter
Lionel Messi already secured his place among the greatest players in World Cup history after leading Argentina to glory at Qatar 2022, but the Argentine captain could still break another legendary record at football’s biggest tournament.
The superstar is preparing for what is expected to be his sixth and final FIFA World Cup, an achievement historic on its own, but one that also presents him with the opportunity to surpass one of the last major records still belonging to Pelé.
And surprisingly, the record is not about goals, but rather a statistic that highlights the incredible ability both legends possess to influence matches on the biggest stage: World Cup assists.
The Pelé record Messi is chasing
At the moment, Pelé remains the all-time assist leader in FIFA World Cup final tournaments with a total of 10 assists, a mark established between the 1958 and 1970 editions.
Right behind him stands Lionel Messi, who currently has eight World Cup assists spread across his five tournament appearances. His first assist came in Germany 2006, followed by one in South Africa 2010 and another in Brazil 2014. He then added two more in Russia 2018 before recording three assists during Argentina’s historic triumph in Qatar 2022.
Pelé also holds another remarkable record: the most assists in a single World Cup edition, delivering six assists during one tournament.
Argentina’s group stage could help Messi
Argentina’s group-stage opponents could provide ideal opportunities for Messi to close the gap — or even surpass — Pelé’s historic mark.
The reigning world champions will open their campaign against Algeria on June 16 before facing Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27.
With attacking talents such as Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez, and Enzo Fernández around him, Messi will once again have several opportunities to continue adding assists on football’s biggest stage.
Argentina breathed a sigh of relief after Messi injury scare
However, concerns emerged in recent days after Lionel Messi was forced to leave the match between Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union due to physical discomfort.
The Argentine captain walked off holding the back of his left leg, immediately causing concern throughout Argentina and across the football world.
Fortunately, subsequent medical examinations confirmed that the issue was only muscular overload associated with fatigue in his left hamstring, a situation not expected to compromise his participation at the 2026 World Cup.
Now, with the injury scare seemingly behind him, Messi can once again focus on chasing another historic achievement and further expanding a legacy that already feels impossible to replicate.
