Lionel Messi’s Argentina have set up FIFA World Cup 2026 final against Spain.© AFP
Argentina captain Lionel Messi has become the first player to record 10 assists in FIFA World Cup knockout matches, taking his overall World Cup assist tally to 12, the most by any player since records began in 1966, according to OptaJoe’s X account. Messi achieved the milestone after providing two assists in Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal win over England. No other player has registered more than eight assists in World Cup history since 1966. Messi’s first assist in the semifinal match against England came from a short corner routine. Argentina played the corner short to Messi, who quickly laid the ball back to Enzo Fernandez, waiting on the edge of the box. Fernandez took a touch before curling a superb strike past Jordan Pickford from outside the area in the 85th minute.
Messi’s second assist came in stoppage time when he beat England’s Djed Spence on the right flank and delivered a cross over Jordan Pickford to the far post, where an unmarked Lautaro Martinez headed the ball into an empty net, securing Argentina’s 2-1 win to set up a final clash against Spain.
Messi won the Player of the Match award for his match-winning assists.
It was England who took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, who finished Morgan Rogers‘ cross to put the Three Lions ahead. However, Argentina responded with relentless pressure, with Fernandez equalising in the 85th minute before Martinez scored a stoppage-time goal, heading home to seal a memorable victory.
Earlier, both teams had played out a tense first half with few clear chances.
Argentina will face Spain in the final on July 19 (local time), while England will meet France in the third-place playoff on Saturday.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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