Lionel Messi added another chapter to his remarkable World Cup legacy, earning a record 14th Fifa World Cup Player of the Match award after leading Argentina to a hard-fought 3-2 win over Cape Verde in the round of 32 on Friday.
The Argentina captain's latest accolade extends his lead atop the tournament's all-time Player of the Match standings, underscoring his enduring influence as the reigning champions advanced to the last 16.
Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo occupies second place with eight Player of the Match awards, while former Netherlands winger Arjen Robben remains third with six.
A group of three players share fourth spot on five awards each: France striker Kylian Mbappé, Croatia captain Luka Modrić and Uruguay forward Luis Suárez.
Further down the list, Brazil star Neymar and former France forward Antoine Griezmann have each collected four Player of the Match honours across their World Cup careers.
FIFA World Cup 2026 / Argentina / Lionel Messi
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