Messi's Masterclass Falls Short of Okocha's Dribble Record

In the World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, Lionel Messi led Argentina to a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory against England, despite his performance not surpassing the long-standing record held by former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha. Messi completed nine successful dribbles during the match, the highest for any player in the 2026 tournament, and provided two assists, contributing significantly to Argentina's success.

Argentina fell behind after Anthony Gordon scored in the 50th minute, but Enzo Fernandez equalized five minutes later, and Lautaro Martinez scored the winner in stoppage time. Messi's achievements included registering at least nine successful dribbles and two assists in a single World Cup knockout match, a record since 1966.

However, he remains short of Okocha's record of 15 successful dribbles set during Nigeria's round of 16 clash against Italy in the 1994 World Cup. Messi's display extended his record to 11 consecutive World Cup matches with a goal or assist, leading the golden boot race with eight goals and four assists ahead of the final against Spain.