Lionel Messi keeps writing his name in football’s history books. In Argentina’s quarterfinal victory over Switzerland at the 2026 World Cup, the captain was decisive again with an assist that placed him in a select group: he reached 10 assists in World Cups, tying none other than Pelé, one of the greatest legends the sport has ever produced.
The play came from a corner on the right. Messi took the ball, measured his timing, and sent a curling cross into the heart of the area for Alexis Mac Allister to head home and make it 1-0, opening the match in Kansas City. A perfectly executed set piece, the kind only the chosen ones master.
The most striking aspect of the record is its longevity. Messi has distributed assists across six different World Cups, from his debut in the tournament to the present, spanning generations, coaches, systems, and teammates. At 39, the Rosario native continues to prove his influence remains intact on the most demanding stage on the planet.
That pass to Mac Allister was no coincidence but the confirmation of a pattern: the Argentine captain has always found a way to be decisive, first as a young promise and now as the absolute leader of a team dreaming of retaining the crown won in Qatar 2022.
The assist tally adds to another record Messi already holds: he is also the all-time top scorer in World Cups. That combination—scoring goals and creating them—makes him the most decisive player the competition has ever seen, capable of settling a match with a shot, a dribble, or a precise pass.
History also offered a curious nod. The last time Argentina faced Switzerland in a World Cup, in Brazil 2014, Messi was also the protagonist with a key assist, that time for Ángel Di María’s goal in extra time. Twelve years later, and again against the Swiss, he made the difference with the most decisive left foot in Argentine football.
Now, with Pelé’s record tied and a place in the semifinals secured, Messi prepares for a new challenge: the clash against England on Wednesday, July 15, with the hope of continuing to expand a legend that no longer competes against his contemporaries, but against history itself.
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para mi messi igualando a pelee? ni en pedo loco el brasilero era de otro planeta la prensa zurda lo infla todo argentina va a semis por la garra no por este viejo q ya no da mas vamooo la scaloneta a cagarlos a todos firmado el gaucho nazi
Para mí Messi es un verso, un producto del marketing globalista. Pelé fue 10 veces mejor, esto huele a Macri y los medios queriendo lavarle la cara a un burgués vendido. Igualito a Pelé? JAJAJAJA, me parece una falta de respeto total.