Argentina captain Lionel Messi has been named the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) Best Player of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following his outstanding performances throughout the tournament.
The football statistics body announced the honour in a post published on its official website, stating that Messi emerged as the highest-rated player based on its comprehensive performance index.
According to the IFFHS, the award is determined using a data-driven methodology that evaluates players based on weighted match ratings, goals, assists and influence in the knockout rounds across the entire tournament.
The federation said an extensive analysis of every player’s performances at the World Cup showed that Messi finished ahead of all other contenders.
MessiMessi featured in all seven of Argentina’s matches, playing 626 minutes and producing 12 direct goal contributions, scoring eight goals and providing four assists. He also recorded an average IFFHS match rating of 8.33 during the competition.
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The IFFHS noted that its performance index gives additional importance to displays in the knockout stages, where the stakes are highest, adding that Messi consistently delivered decisive performances as Argentina progressed to the World Cup final.
“The federation’s panel, guided entirely by statistical evidence and the integrity of the performance record, arrived at this conclusion with full confidence. Lionel Messi is the IFFHS Best Player — not by sentiment, not by reputation, but by the unimpeachable authority of the data,” the statement read.
Messi’s latest individual accolade adds to another memorable World Cup campaign in which he was one of the tournament’s standout performers, finishing with eight goals, four assists and the highest average rating among all players assessed by the IFFHS.
