Diego Maradona is one of the best soccer players of all time, and many will remember him as probably the greatest in the history of the game. The Argentine played for a number of clubs in his lifetime, winning many trophies for them. But it is his contributions to his nation, Argentina, that have made him the legend he is.
He single-handedly led the Albicelestes to World Cup glory in 1986, where he was the best player of the tournament. His status as a World Cup legend will forever be remembered, with one record still standing.
Diego Maradona’s World Cup record that nobody has beaten yet
Diego Maradona is remembered as one of the best players in World Cup history and for good reason as well. The legend played 4 World Cups in his lifetime, the debut 1982 World Cup, the 1986 legendary winning World Cup, where he was the best player, and the next one in 1990, where they narrowly lost in the final to West Germany. His final one was in 1994, but he played 2 games as he was banned due to taking drugs.
While many of his records have been broken since, there is one that still stands today. That record is the most assists in World Cup history, with Maradona boasting a total of 8 assists in 21 games. However, he is equaled in the record by compatriot Lionel Messi, who has done the same in 26 games. However, Maradona has a 0.38 assist per game, which puts him at the top. Pele is believed to have 10 assists, but his statistics are largely undocumented and unconfirmed.
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Lionel Messi – 8
Diego Maradona – 8
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Messi can still break the record but there is no certainty whether he will play in the next World Cup in 2026. He has spoken positively in the past, but there is no indication of whether he will be there currently.
Maradona is also known for scoring 8 goals in the prestigious competition. He is still remembered for his two goals against England in the 1986 semi finals, the famous best goal of the century and the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal. In that same tournament, he had 5 goals and the same number of assists.
Lionel Messi once claimed Diego Maradona is eternal
Diego Maradona is a beloved figure in Argentina who will always remember his contributions for them. His death in 2020 left millions devastated and the whole soccer world paid tribute to the legend.
Lionel Messi was one of them and the Barcelona great wrote that Diego is eternal. He wrote on Instagram, “A very sad day for all Argentines and for football. He leaves us but he does not leave, because Diego is eternal.”
The two were very close, and Messi was often compared to Maradona. They even shared the same team in the 2010 World Cup, when Maradona managed the team Messi was in. Many even believe Messi has surpassed the soccer great by winning the 2022 World Cup. Messi later drew parallels to the Argentine great by donning one of his iconic jerseys.
Whatever the case, Diego Maradona was an inspiration to many and will forever be one of the greatest players in soccer history.
