FIFA World Cup 2026: Messi’s Masterclass Against England Not Enough to Surpass Okocha’s Legendary Record
Lionel Messi delivered another memorable performance on the biggest stage, but his display against England was still not enough to surpass one of the FIFA World Cup’s most remarkable individual records, held by Nigerian legend Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha.
According to a report by Soccernet, the Argentina captain inspired the reigning world champions to a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over England in Wednesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal at Atlanta Stadium.
Despite his influence in the thrilling encounter, Messi remains some distance from the greatest single-match dribbling performance in World Cup history.
That distinction still belongs to former Super Eagles captain Okocha, who completed an astonishing 15 successful dribbles during Nigeria’s Round of 16 clash against Italy at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
The unforgettable display came on July 5, 1994, at Foxboro Stadium, where the then-21-year-old repeatedly outwitted an experienced Italian defence that included Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Demetrio Albertini.
Over 120 minutes, Okocha completed 15 of his 16 attempted dribbles as Nigeria pushed Italy to extra time before eventually suffering a 2-1 defeat.
Although the Super Eagles were eliminated, his fearless attacking display remains one of the most celebrated individual performances in World Cup history.
More than 30 years later, no player has managed to eclipse Okocha’s record, despite the emergence of several world-class dribblers.
The all-time World Cup rankings for successful dribbles in a single match underline the magnitude of his achievement.
Okocha leads with 15 successful dribbles, while Brazil’s Jairzinho and England’s Paul Gascoigne share second place with 13.
Argentina great Diego Maradona, Germany’s Jamal Musiala and Dutch legend Johan Cruyff are next on the list with 12 successful dribbles each.
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FIFA World Cup 2026: Messi’s Masterclass Against England Not Enough to Surpass Okocha’s Legendary Record
