2026 World Cup: The three standout Lionel Messi stats at the tournament

27.06.26 FT World Cup

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Argentinian international Lionel Messi is making headlines at the 23rd edition of the World Cup.

At 39 years old, La Pulga is likely playing his last major tournament before bringing his international career with the Albiceleste to an end.

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Despite the passing years, the all-time top scorer in World Cup history continues to set the bar sky-high, much to the delight of his fans.

Here are three remarkable statistics from Lionel Messi at the North American World Cup.

A goal every 34 minutes

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has netted 5 goals in two matches at the global tournament, scoring 3 against Algeria and 2 against Austria.

With just 170 minutes on the pitch, the former FC Barcelona star has achieved the extraordinary feat of scoring a goal every 34 minutes.

This outstanding performance makes him one of the frontrunners for the Golden Boot, awarded to the tournament's top scorer, even as he faces fierce competition from France's Kylian Mbappé and Norway's Erling Haaland, who have each scored 4 goals.

An average rating of 9.6/10

The captain of the Argentine squad leads the rankings for the highest-rated players at the 2026 World Cup, according to ratings from the specialist site Sofascore.

With an average of 9.6/10, he sits ahead of France's Kylian Mbappé (8.65/10), Germany's Deniz Undav (8.5/10), the Netherlands' Cody Gakpo (8.5/10), and Canada's Nathan-Dylan Saliba (8.5/10).

The Rosario native looks well on track to retain his FIFA Ballon d'Or, awarded to the tournament's best player.

A shot every 13 minutes

In blistering form, Lionel Messi has managed to attempt a shot every 13 minutes during this 2026 World Cup.

According to Sofascore's stats, he has taken 13 shots on goal in just 170 minutes played in the competition.

He leads France's Kylian Mbappé and Turkey's Kenan Yildiz, who have each registered 12 shots since the start of the tournament.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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