Messi’s magic sends Argentina to final as he breaks more World Cup records

For 85 minutes, England dared to dream. Anthony Gordon’s 55th‑minute strike had the Three Lions within touching distance of their first men’s World Cup final since 1966. Then Lionel Messi decided otherwise.

The 39‑year‑old captain, playing in his record‑extending sixth World Cup, delivered two telling assists in the dying embers of Wednesday’s semi‑final at Atlanta’s Mercedes‑Benz Stadium – first teeing up Enzo Fernández for a stunning 85th‑minute equaliser, then crossing for Lautaro Martínez to head home a 92nd‑minute winner that sent Argentina to a 2‑1 victory and a second consecutive final appearance.

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The Numbers That Define Greatness

With those two assists, Messi’s 2026 World Cup tally now stands at eight goals and four assists across seven matches – 12 goal contributions that rank among the greatest individual campaigns in tournament history. He leads the Golden Boot race alongside Kylian Mbappé on eight goals, but edges the Frenchman on the assists tie‑breaker.

Yet the semi‑final was about more than one tournament. Messi’s overall World Cup totals now sit at a staggering 21 goals and 12 assists – making him the all‑time leading goalscorer in World Cup history and, since records began in 1966, the all‑time leader in assists. No other player has registered more than eight assists across World Cup finals.

In knockout matches alone, Messi has 17 goal contributions (7 goals, 10 assists) in 16 games across six editions – the most of any player in World Cup knockout history. His 10 knockout assists are a record no other player has reached.

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The Comeback That Shook Atlanta

England, coached by Thomas Tuchel, had looked composed after Gordon turned home Morgan Rogers’ cross. But Messi, who turned 39 on June 24, refused to fade.

His first assist came from a short‑corner routine – a quick lay‑off to Fernández on the edge of the box, who curled a magnificent 25‑yard strike past Jordan Pickford. Then, in stoppage time, Messi beat Djed Spence on the right flank and delivered a pinpoint cross over Pickford to the far post, where an unmarked Martínez headed into an empty net.

“Messi delivered the decisive contributions that sent Argentina to another World Cup final,” OneFootball wrote. Argentina will now face Spain in Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, while England meet France in the third‑place play‑off.

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A Legacy Beyond Trophies

For Messi, who has never won the Golden Boot – finishing second to Mbappé in 2022 – the award remains within reach with one game remaining. But the records he continues to shatter tell their own story: 21 World Cup goals, 12 assists, 17 knockout contributions, and a place in a third World Cup final of his career.

As Argentina chase back‑to‑back titles – something no men’s team has achieved since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 – one thing is already certain: at 39, Messi is still rewriting the history books, one assist at a time.

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