Ivan Perišić Matches Messi's World Cup Assist Milestone

In a remarkable achievement, Ivan Perišić has become just the second player ever to provide assists in four different World Cups, a feat only previously accomplished by Lionel Messi since record-keeping began in 1966. The PSV Eindhoven winger set this milestone during a match where he assisted Petar Musa, contributing to Croatia's efforts before England secured a decisive 4-2 victory in the latter stages of the game.

The 37-year-old Perišić began his World Cup journey in 2014, marking his debut with an impressive performance against Cameroon, where he not only assisted but also scored in a dominant 4-0 win. At that time, he was with Wolfsburg, a club he helped to victory in the DFB-Pokal in 2015.

Four years later, Perišić played a crucial role in Croatia's stunning semi-final win over England, assisting both goals that led to a historic first final appearance for the national team. Although Croatia eventually finished as runners-up to France, his contributions were pivotal throughout the tournament.

In the 2022 World Cup, Perišić continued to shine, registering two assists during the group stage against Canada and later setting up Josko Gvardiol's goal in the third-place playoff against Morocco, further solidifying his legacy.

Messi is the only other player to achieve assists in four World Cups, tying Miroslav Klose for the most goals with a memorable hat-trick against Algeria. At nearly 39 years of age, Messi aims to extend his record in the upcoming matches, while Perišić’s career includes notable stints at Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, where he was part of the treble-winning team in the 2019/20 season. He is also Croatia's second-most-capped player, with 155 appearances to his name.