Qatar World Cup 2022: Leo Messi’s title-winning tournament in statistics

Leo Messi achieved his dream of winning the World Cup in Qatar. A player many consider to the greatest of all time added the one major trophy to elude him to his staggering list of titles in Lusail. He did so at the age of 35, in what was in all likelihood his final appearance on the World Cup stage, while also seeing off the challenge of the biggest talent among his emerging successors, France forward Kylian Mbappé, who scored a hat-trick in the final.

With the World Cup secured, Messi now projects his legend over the Argentina national team. He had achieved huge success at club level, particularly at Barcelona, but with the Albiceleste disappointment had always haunted him: four major tournament finals lost, including the 2014 World Cup final against Germany. Perhaps aware that the end of his career is nearing, in 2021 and 2022 Messi has altered that reality. In the space of a year and a half, he has lifted both the Copa América and the World Cup for his country.

Messi’s World Cup in goals

Messi carried Argentina on his shoulders in Qatar, a role that had been demanded of him from off the pitch. Of the 15 goals scored by Lionel Scaloni’s side at the World Cup, Messi provided seven. Four of those were from the penalty spot and three from open play, and all were decisive. From the last-16 stage onward, Messi scored in every game, including two in the final.

Messi’s World Cup in assists

The Argentina number 10, who received the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, was also the most decisive player at the World Cup, taking into account goals and assists per minute played. As well as his seven goals, Messi provided three assists and several passes that either started goal-scoring moves or were fundamental within them, such as his flick in the build-up to Ángel di María’s strike in the final. Overall, Messi was worth almost a goal or an assist per 90 minutes in Qatar.

Messi’s World Cup in almost every other aspect

Messi lit up the stage in Qatar not only with goals and assists. He was among the players with most completed dribbles, key passes, pass accuracy and expected goals and assists. In reality, Messi played in a deeper role to where he usually operates and he stood out more in terms of creating chances than finishing them. Removing his penalties from the equation, his goal return was not spectacular.

By comparison, Mbappé had a better tournament in terms of pure shooting, achieving a percentile of 99 (out of 100) – higher than practically everyone else at the World Cup – in goals, expected goals and shots.

A final for the ages

Messi required a penalty shootout to crown his career, after a match that Argentina had in the bag until the 80th minute, when Mbappé took the bull by the horns. Both Argentina and France played beyond themselves in the final of their lives, determined to make history. As the graphic shows, Argentina were dominant for 60 minutes, in which they carved out a two-goal advantage, before France took the reins for 30 minutes, during which Mbappé scored twice to take the game to extra time. The additional period also ended all square after Messi put Argentina back in front from close range and Mbappé struck again, from the spot, to force a penalty shootout.

Both Mbappé and Messi scored in the lottery of the shootout, but two France misses meant that the Argentinean would complete his legend with the biggest and most difficult title of them all.

Sources and glossary

Expected goals. The goals that should have been scored by a player or a team based on shots taken, adding the probability that each shot would end in a goal. The calculation of expected goals takes into account the position from where the shot was taken, the type of shot and the position of the goalkeeper.

Game momentum. Which team is creating more dangerous situations in each minute of the game. This is calculated on the recent ball possessions of each team and the probability of these ending in a goal. Ball possession carries a different value depending on position on the pitch: retaining the ball between a side’s central defenders does not generate the same level of danger as advancing to the opponent’s penalty area.

Data source: Opta.