World Cup 2026 Stats

Messi has scored in eight straight World Cup appearances — a first in the tournament’s history. His 21 career goals held the all-time record until Mbappé’s brace in the 3rd Place Final; the streak itself is still unmatched.

Into the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954 — the longest gap between quarterfinal appearances in World Cup history. Their reward: Argentina, the side that knocked them out last time, in 2014.

This World Cup has produced 13 own goals — more than any tournament in history, past the 12 set in 2018. The expanded field has been chaotic in more ways than one.

Both of his goals in the 3rd Place Final — 48′ and 66′, both teed up by Olise — took Mbappé to 22 career World Cup goals, one clear of Messi’s 21. It came in the tournament’s highest-scoring match: France 4-6 England.

Olise’s two assists in the 3rd Place Final — both for Mbappé — took him to six for the tournament, matching Pelé’s record from 1970. Nobody has managed seven.

The all-time World Cup goals record — 172, set in 2022 — is a distant memory: this tournament finished with 303 goals across 103 matches.

With a population of around 156,000, Curaçao are the smallest nation ever to play at a World Cup — taking the mark from Iceland, who set it in 2018 with roughly twice the people.

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time — Ferran Torres' 105th-minute strike settling it — for their second World Cup title, first since 2010. It closed out what's expected to be Messi's last World Cup.

Kane's fifth World Cup penalty — against Croatia in the group stage — moved him past Messi (4) for the most penalty goals ever scored at a World Cup. His 6 goals this tournament also took him to 14 for his career, level with Gerd Müller and behind only Mbappé (22), Messi (21), Klose (16) and Ronaldo (15).