Multiple outlets report that Lionel Messi becomes the leading player for successful dribbles at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, overtaking Spain’s Lamine Yamal. One report states that Messi’s rise to first place reflects his dribbling output in the tournament and that he finishes above Yamal and other listed players. The Daily Post Nigeria article also links Messi’s current standing to Argentina’s World Cup semi-final, where Argentina records a 2–1 comeback victory over England. In that semi-final, Argentina’s goals come from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, and the report notes Messi’s contribution in the match, including that he completes nine successful dribbles. The Punch similarly focuses on the overall dribbles leaderboard, describing Messi as the tournament’s top dribbler after surpassing Yamal, and references a full list of top dribblers. Across the reports, the central point is that Messi leads the World Cup dribbles chart and has moved into first place ahead of Yamal.