Friday, August 21, 2026

Kings of assists in 2026 FIFA World Cup (Part 1)

FIFA has been recording assists since the 1966 World Cup. Brazil legend Pelé holds the 56-year-old record for the most assists in a single World Cup, with six.

• July 2, 2026
Michael Olise (France), Bruno Guimaraes (Brazil), Roberto Alvarado (Mexico), Martin Odegaard (Norway)
Michael Olise (France), Bruno Guimaraes (Brazil), Roberto Alvarado (Mexico), Martin Odegaard (Norway)

France’s Michael Olise leads the assist rankings so far, with five in four games at the ongoing 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Bayern Munich star is joint second in the all-time assist ranking in one single World Cup with five, one behind Diego Maradona of Argentina’s record of six assists in a single World Cup, set in 1970.

He, however, won’t have the chance to equal or break the record after the former world champions crashed out of the tournament following their defeat on penalties in their round of 32 fixture to Paraguay on Monday.

With six matches left in the round of 32, as well as the round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final, still in view, players, Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes, who currently has four assists, as well as other players currently with three and four assists, have the chance to leapfrog Olise, and even overtake Maradona, to equal and break the record.

Top assisters at 2026 World Cup

Michael Olise (France) – 5 assists

Bruno Guimaraes (Brazil) – 4 assists

Roberto Alvarado (Mexico) – 3 assists

Alexander Isak (Sweden) – 3 assists

Martin Odegaard (Norway) – 3 assists

Florian Wirtz (Germany) – 3 assists

Houssem Aouar (Algeria) – 2 assists

Patrick Berg (Norway) – 2 assists

Ousmane Dembele (France) – 2 assists

Brahim Diaz (Morocco) – 2 assists

Breel Embolo (Switzerland) – 2 assists

Julio Enciso (Paraguay) – 2 assists

Anthony Gordon (England) – 2 assists

Ryan Gravenberch (Netherlands) – 2 assists

Viktor Gyokeres (Sweden) – 2 assists

Joshua Kimmich (Germany) – 2 assists

Kylian Mbappe (France) – 2 assists

Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia) – 2 assists

Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal) – 2 assists

Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – 2 assists

Nathan Saliba (Canada) – 2 assists

Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands) – 2 assists

Bukayo Saka (England) – 2 assists

Deniz Undav (Germany) – 2 assists

Chris Wood (New Zealand) – 2 assists

FIFA has been recording assists since the 1966 World Cup. Brazil legend Pelé holds the 56-year-old record for the most assists in a single World Cup, with six, set in 1970. Other players have five assists, including Poland’s Robert Gadocha in 1974, West Germany’s Thomas Hassler in 1994, West Germany’s Pierre Littbarski in 1982, and Argentina’s Diego Maradona in 1986.

Top assisters at each World Cup
1966: Siggi Held & Uwe Seeler (4)
1970: Pele (6)
1974: Robert Gadocha (5)
1978: Rob Rensenbrink & Rene van de Kerkhof (3)
1982: Pierre Littbarski (5)
1986: Diego Maradona (5)
1990: Andreas Brehme, Jozef Chovanec & Lubomir Moravcik (3)
1994: Thomas Hassler (5)
1998: Dennis Bergkamp, Youri Djorkaeff, Tahar El-Khalej, Brian Laudrup, Ronaldo & Juan Veron (3)
2002: Michael Ballack (4)
2006: Francesco Totti (4)
2010: Kaka, Dirk Kuyt, Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil & Bastian Schweinsteiger (3)
2014: Juan Cuadrado (4)
2018: No player registered more than two assists
2022: Bruno Fernandes, Antoine Griezmann, Harry Kane, Lionel Messi & Ivan Perisic (3)

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