Messi vs Yamal: Goals, assists, dribbles and all key stats ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final

• Lionel Messi heads into the 2026 World Cup final with eight goals and four assists in seven matches.

• Spain's Lamine Yamal has impressed with his creativity and dribbling despite scoring once during the tournament.

• The final pits one of football's greatest players against one of its brightest young stars.

Co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has produced memorable moments across North America. Now, it culminates in a final that could symbolise the passing of the torch from one of the game's greatest players to one of its brightest young talents.

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Statistics from Sofascore highlight the contrasting styles and remarkable contributions of the two stars heading into the showpiece.

At 39, Messi continues to defy expectations. The Argentina captain has remained the driving force behind his country's run to the final, combining his trademark vision, composure and clinical finishing. Standing at 169 cm, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has a market value of €16.3 million and is widely expected to be playing in his final World Cup.

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Yamal, meanwhile, has announced himself on football's biggest stage. The 19-year-old Spain midfielder, who stands 183 cm tall and has a market value of €215 million, has dazzled supporters with his pace, creativity and confidence throughout the tournament.

Both players have featured in all seven of their countries' matches. Messi has played 620 minutes, averaging 89 minutes per game, while Yamal has accumulated 495 minutes at an average of 71 minutes per match.

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Messi heads into the final with eight goals, averaging 1.1 goals per game, compared with one goal for Yamal.

The Argentine has also exceeded expectations in front of goal, posting an expected goals (xG) figure of 5.26, while averaging 2.6 shots on target and 1.4 shots off target per game.

Yamal has registered an xG of 1.51, averaging 1.4 shots on target and one shot off target per match.

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Messi has also been the more influential creator.

He has provided four assists, generated 3.90 expected assists (xA) and created eight big chances during the tournament.

By comparison, Yamal has recorded an xA of 1.29 and created one big chance.

Messi also leads in crossing and distribution, averaging 2.7 crosses per game with 38.8% accuracy, while completing 1.1 long balls per match at 50% accuracy.

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Both players have excelled in one-on-one situations, although Messi holds the edge.

The Argentina captain has completed 3.6 successful dribbles per game with a 69.4% success rate, while winning 7.3 ground duels at 56%.

Yamal averages 3.1 successful dribbles with a 52.4% success rate and wins 5.4 ground duels per game at 44.2%.

The Spanish youngster has contributed more defensively, recording more tackles and interceptions than Messi. However, Messi is fouled more frequently, averaging 2.3 fouls won per game.

Messi has also lost possession 20 times per game, compared with 17.3 for Yamal.

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While the statistics favour Messi in most attacking categories, they only tell part of the story.

Messi's experience, leadership and ability to decide the biggest matches have once again been central to Argentina's success. Even at 39, he continues to outperform his expected goals and remains one of the tournament's most decisive players.

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Yamal, meanwhile, has brought energy, unpredictability and flair to Spain's possession-based style. Although his goal return has been modest, his movement, dribbling and creativity have made him one of the standout young players of the competition.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final therefore represents more than a contest between Argentina and Spain. It is a meeting between one of football's greatest-ever players and a teenager many believe could define the sport's next generation.

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Whether Messi adds another World Cup triumph to his glittering career or Yamal leads Spain to glory, the final promises to be one of the defining moments of the tournament.