Argentina booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final with a 2-1 comeback victory over England in the semifinal on Wednesday.
Lionel Messi played a decisive role in the win, providing assists for both Argentine goals. Midfielder Enzo Fernández leveled the match before striker Lautaro Martínez completed the turnaround to send the reigning champions into another World Cup final.
The two assists allowed Messi to extend his own World Cup record for career assists to 12. Ten of those have come in knockout matches, while no other player in tournament history has recorded more than eight assists across all World Cup appearances.
Messi has also moved into the top five assist providers at the 2026 tournament. France's Michael Olise leads the standings with five assists, while three other players have registered four.
With eight goals and four assists, Messi now tops the 2026 World Cup in combined goal contributions, totaling 12. Across all of his World Cup appearances, the Argentine captain has produced a record 33 goal involvements, consisting of 21 goals and 12 assists.
The 39-year-old also continues to hold the all-time World Cup appearance record, having now played 33 matches in the competition.
Argentina will face Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday.
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