Messi could end this World Cup as champion, top scorer, and all-time assists leader — all at once
With 8 goals and 4 assists, Messi could walk away from the final against Spain as champion, Golden Boot winner, and the greatest provider in World Cup history.
At 39 years old, at his sixth World Cup, Lionel Messi is still not satisfied. The Argentine arrives at the final against Spain carrying eight goals and four assists — and a list of records that few athletes in history have ever come close to imagining.
The most immediate battle is for the Golden Boot. Messi and Mbappé arrive level at the top of the scoring charts, with eight goals each. If the two finish tied, FIFA looks first at assists — and there Messi has the edge. The Frenchman has fewer direct goal contributions than the Argentine, according to ge.
But the fight goes well beyond this tournament's scoring race. A goal in the final would place Messi alongside Ademir (1950) and Eusébio (1966), with nine strikes in a single edition. Two goals would equal Gerd Müller, who scored ten in 1970 — a mark no one has matched in more than five decades.
On assists, the number 10 is also in pursuit. With four, he is just one away from sharing the lead with France's Michael Olise. Two assists in the final would leave him alone at the top. And if he reaches six, he would draw level with Pelé's tally from 1970.
In the all-time scoring rankings, Messi already leads with 21 goals across six editions. Mbappé is right behind him with 20 in just three appearances — and could overtake him as early as the third-place match against England. If that happens, Messi will have the final as his answer.
Spain, for their part, did not reach the final by accident. After a goalless draw in their opener against Cape Verde and a wave of criticism, Luis de la Fuente's side — who, according to UOL Esporte, became a manager thanks to a job advertisement in a newspaper — silenced the sceptics and marched all the way to the grand final.
Golmetria's model gives Spain a 49% chance of lifting the trophy, against 33% for Argentina. History, however, has a peculiar habit of ignoring probabilities when Messi is on the pitch.
One last dance. One last possible title. And records that could echo across generations. Sunday's final is not just Argentina vs Spain — it is the closing of an era.