Messi overtook Maradona

Argentina national team striker Lionel Messi has surpassed his compatriot Diego Maradona to become the most productive assist provider in the history of the World Cups.

Demokrat.az reports that the 39-year-old forward was the author of an assist in the Round of 16 match against the Egypt national team at the World Cup.

Thus, his number of assists in the World Cups has risen to 9. The statistics of productive assists in the World Cups have been kept since 1966.

On July 4, the Argentina national team defeated the Cape Verde selection 3:2 in extra time in the Round of 16 stage. In that game, the third goal was initially credited to Cristian Romero, with Messi shown as the assist provider. However, later FIFA officially recorded the goal as an own goal.

It should be noted that Lionel Messi has been playing for the US club Inter Miami since 2023. Over his career, he has also worn the jerseys of France's PSG and Spain's Barcelona clubs. Messi became a world champion in 2022 and also won the silver medal at the 2014 World Cup. He has won the Copa America twice (2021, 2024), was the winner of the 2008 Olympic Games, and has been awarded the Ballon d'Or 8 times.