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Messi at the World Cup: Goals, Assists and Stats
Lionel Messi has played 34 games at the World Cup since 2006, with 21 goals and 12 assists. Below are all his numbers, season by season, plus his favourite opponents and every hat-trick.
Messi at the World Cup: stats by season
| Season | Games | Goals | Assists | Goals/game | Pens | % pens | FKs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005/2006 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0.33 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 |
| 2009/2010 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 0 | – | 0 |
| 2013/2014 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0.57 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 |
| 2017/2018 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.25 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 |
| 2022/2023 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 1.00 | 4 | 57.1% | 0 |
| 2025/2026 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 1.00 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Total | 34 | 21 | 12 | 0.62 | 4 | 19.0% | 2 |
Messi's favourite opponents at the World Cup
| Opponent | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Argelia | 1 | 3 |
| Nigeria | 3 | 3 |
| Austria | 1 | 2 |
| France | 2 | 2 |
| Serbia | 1 | 1 |
See all of Messi's favourite victims →
Every Messi hat-trick at the World Cup (1)
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jun 2026 | Argelia | FIFA World Cup | 3-0 | 3 |
See every Messi and Ronaldo hat-trick →
Messi at the World Cup: key facts
How many goals has Messi scored at the World Cup?
Messi has scored 21 goals in 34 games at the World Cup (0.62 per game), one every 145 minutes, and provided 12 assists.
What was Messi's best season at the World Cup?
The 2025/2026 season, with 8 goals and 4 assists in 8 games.
Which team has Messi scored the most goals against at the World Cup?
His favourite victim is Argelia: 3 goals in 1 game.
How many hat-tricks does Messi have at the World Cup?
1 hat-trick and 3 braces.
How many penalties and free kicks has Messi scored at the World Cup?
4 penalties (19.0% of his goals, 4 missed) and 2 direct free kicks.
What is Messi's win record at the World Cup?
23 wins, 5 draws and 6 defeats (67.6% of games won).
When did Messi debut at the World Cup?
On 16 Jun 2006 against Serbia.
Data updated daily.
More Messi stats
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- Messi in La Liga
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- Messi at the World Cup
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Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup · Messi vs Ronaldo: full comparison
Cache date: 04-11-2026 12:27:12