Ivan Perisic Makes History at 2026 FIFA World Cup Despite Croatia's Loss
Historic Achievement for Ivan Perisic
In a remarkable turn of events during Croatia's opening match against England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup held at Dallas Stadium in Arlington on June 17, Croatian footballer Ivan Perisic made history. Despite the team's 4-2 defeat, Perisic achieved a milestone that only Lionel Messi has matched in the sport's history. He provided an assist to Peter Musa just before halftime, showcasing his skill by making a brilliant run into the box and setting up Musa for a well-executed goal. This effort allowed Croatia to equalize for the second time, ending the first half at 2-2.
Perisic Joins Elite Company
This assist marked Perisic's sixth in World Cup history, making him the second player ever to record assists in four different tournaments, following Messi. In the 2022 World Cup alone, he contributed three assists, while he had one each in the 2014 and 2018 tournaments. Notably, he assisted Mario Mandzukic's decisive goal in the 2018 semifinal against England, which propelled Croatia to their first World Cup final. According to OPTA's data since 1966, Perisic's achievement places him alongside Messi, who has recorded assists in five editions (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022). Perisic's six assists tie him for the fifth-most in World Cup history, alongside several other legendary players.
Top Assists in FIFA World Cup History (Since 1966)
| Assists | Players |
| 8 | Lionel Messi (Argentina), Diego Maradona (Argentina). |
| 7 | Pierre Littbarski (Germany), Grzegorz Lato (Poland). |
| 6 | David Beckham (England), Pelé (Brazil), Thomas Häßler (Germany), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Thomas Müller (Germany), Uwe Seeler (Germany), Ivan Perisic (Croatia). |
| 5 | Zico (Brazil), Antoine Griezmann (France), Gerd Müller (Germany), Michael Ballack (Germany), Juan Sebastián Verón (Argentina), Juan Cuadrado (Colombia), Robert Gadocha (Poland). |
Perisic has also scored six goals in World Cup history, netting once in 2014, 2018, and 2022. He is among a select group of players who have scored in both the semifinals and finals of the same World Cup edition, achieving this feat against England and France in 2018. Among those with six or more assists in World Cups, only Messi (13), Pelé (12), and a few others have more goals than Perisic. Should he score in this tournament, he would join an elite group of players who have scored in four different World Cups, a list that includes Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi.