Lionel Messi 2022 World Cup stats and history: Goals, assists and more for Argentina legend

Nathan Evans

Lionel Messi 2022 World Cup stats and history: Goals, assists and more for Argentina legend image

In some ways, Argentina's Lionel Messi 'completed' football when he and his South American teammates lifted the World Cup trophy for the first time on December 18. 

For many in the sport he was already considered the greatest of all-time but his overall 2022 World Cup performance to help secure Argentina's third title was immense even by his sky-high standards. 

Here, The Sporting News keet track of all the data that mattered the most during Messi's time at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

MORE: Lionel Messi stats 2022/23: PSG goals, assists and more

Lionel Messi 2022 World Cup stats

After performing at an incredibly high level for club side PSG so far this season, Messi entered the 2022 World Cup in fine form, and he carried that into the tournament, in some style.

Updated after Argentina's final victory vs. France.

Stat Total Rank amongst 2022 World Cup players
Goals 7 2nd
Expected goals (xG) 6.58 1st
Assists 3 =1st
Expected assists (xA) 1.95 2nd
Shots 32 1st
Shots on target 18 1st
Shot conversion rate 21.9% =57th
Chances created 21 2nd
Dribbles completed 15 3rd
Dribble success rate 45.5% =57th
Touches in opposition box 45 2nd
Successful passes 296 15th
Passes played into the box 49 2nd
Total carries 145 7th
Progressive carries  79 8th
Duels won 44 3rd

= means joint in statistic. 

How many goals did Messi have at previous World Cups?

At the 2022 World Cup, Lionel Messi joined a handful of footballers to have played in five different editions of the competition. 

He's now played 26 times across four World Cups, with his previous best finish before winning in 2022 coming in 2014. That time around, Argentina got all the way to the final, where they were beaten 1-0 after extra time by Germany. 

Lionel Messi 2014

Overall, the former Barcelona man netted six goals across those four tournaments, and he added another seven in 2022. 

Perhaps his best goal came vs Nigeria at the 2018 tournament where he controlled the ball brilliantly before slotting past the onrushing goalkeeper in that crucial do-or-die match. 

 


 

READ: MESSI & RONALDO: DESTINATION MUNDIAL | THE FULL SERIES

Messi & Ronaldo: Destination Mundial
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Nathan Evans

Nathan Evans Photo

A Sports Journalism Masters graduate, Nathan Evans joined The Sporting News in 2022 after working at Opta/Stats Perform for six years. He's an avid fan of Bradford City, FC Köln and the Pittsburgh Penguins.