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With two assists in Argentina's dramatic 2-1 victory over England, captain Lionel Messi not only propelled his team to the 2026 World Cup final but also reclaimed the lead in the Golden Boot race with just two matches remaining in the tournament.
Both Messi and Kylian Mbappé have scored eight goals in their seven World Cup appearances so far. However, the Argentine holds a slight advantage with four assists compared to Mbappé's three. This assist count is the primary tie-breaker when players are level on goals in the final scoring standings. Both players have one match left: the Real Madrid forward will feature for France against England in the third-place playoff, while the Inter Miami captain will lead Argentina against Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
Furthermore, the 39-year-old Messi has extended his own record for assists in the tournament's history, now boasting a total of 12, with 10 of those coming in the knockout stages. His legendary compatriot, Diego Armando Maradona, ranks second (at least since the 1966 World Cup) with eight goal-creating passes.
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