ESPN's By The Numbers brings you best stats from the World Cup action on July 3.

Lionel Messi broke nine FIFA World Cup records during Argentina's dramatic win over Cape Verde, surpassing Pelé and Kylian Mbappé to make more football history.

Lionel Messi achieved FIFA World Cup immortality as he scored a brace in Argentina's opener against Algeria. He shattered a legendary Pele record with his opening strike in the 17th minute at the Kanstas City Stadium.

Lionel Messi already secured his place among the greatest players in World Cup history after leading Argentina to glory at Qatar 2022, but the Argentine captain could still break another legendary record at football’s biggest tournament.

GOAL ranks the top 10 players in World Cup history, including Lionel Messi, Pele, Kylian Mbappe and Diego Maradona

Brazil icon Cafu has waded into the eternal debate regarding the greatest players to ever grace the pitch, identifying the specific traits that separate the elite from the rest of the pack. While the usual suspects from Argentina and Brazil dominate his rankings,

France, Argentina, Spain and England -- as being head and shoulders above the rest at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Pele was football’s first global superstar, his name synonymous with the beautiful game. Winner of the World Cup in 1958 at the age of 17, the Brazilian went on to lift football’s most iconic trophy twice more,

Trying to whittle down thousands of players from 22 tournaments spread over almost a century to pick the top 10 World Cup legends of all time. To my mind, the top six or seven are obvious - even if the order is debatable - but it's those who fill the remaining spots that will no doubt spark the biggest talking point.

That means, in my view, Cristiano doesn’t sit at the table with Maradona, Pelé, and Messi,” he said.

Argentina survived Cape Verde in extra time, but Messi made it clear that the defending champions have serious corrections to make.