“With the Copa del Rey last-16 tie locked at 0–0, Messi threads a rare defence-splitting pass for Éric Abidal to break the deadlock, turning a tense stalemate into his 70th career assist.”
In a tense Copa del Rey Round of 16 tie, Messi ends a three-game scoring drought by turning creator, threading the key pass for Barcelona’s opener to keep their cup campaign on track against a stubborn Athletic Club.
At 2–0 up in a World Cup semi-final against Croatia, Messi’s twisting run on the right pulls Gvardiol apart and carves out the byline angle for Álvarez to tap in, sealing the final spot and logging career assist 349.
At 2–0 in a Champions League semi-final against Bayern, Messi threads a stoppage-time pass that releases Neymar to seal a 3–0 first-leg cushion, capping his masterclass with career assist number 183.
In an El Clásico Supercopa final deadlocked at 0–0, Messi threads the move that releases Iniesta behind Madrid’s line, breaking the tension and opening the scoring before later capping the night by reaching the 200-career-goal mark.
At 1–1 in a World Cup knockout thriller against France, Messi’s quick-thinking touch and stabbed pass through a crowded box create the deflected opening for Mercado to restore Argentina’s lead, marking career assist number 251.