Olesey threatens Pelé's record and Díaz chases the top.

As the 2026 World Cup approaches its decisive and most exciting stages, the spotlight continues to chase goal scorers and net hunters. However, behind every great goal is a brilliant architect who sees the field with a different vision, crafting football masterpieces from half-chances that grant his national team a ticket to glory.

In this exceptional edition hosted by the stadiums of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, a hidden and thrilling battle of a different kind has ignited, namely the struggle for assists and the award for the best playmaker in the World Cup. This race has not only intensified the current competition but has also begun to rewrite the digital history of the World Cup since FIFA officially started documenting assists in the 1966 edition.

Leading the scene in the current World Cup is French star Mikaël Oliseh, who has established himself as the un-crowned king of playmaking in the tournament, having successfully provided five assists, paving the way for the French "Roosters" towards the knockout stages.

Oliseh's achievement is not merely a fleeting lead in the current edition; this figure places him directly in the Hall of Fame of the World Cup throughout history, equaling the record for the most assists in a single edition, marking his name alongside immortal legends such as German Pierre Littbarski in 1982, Argentine Diego Maradona in 1986, German Thomas Häßler in 1994, and Polish Robert Gadocha in 1974.

The young French star now stands just one assist away from equaling the historic and absolute record held by Brazilian jewel Pelé, who created six goals in the 1970 Mexico World Cup, an achievement that looms on the horizon for Oliseh as the French journey continues in the tournament.

In the line of direct pursuers, a fierce battle ignites among different football schools, where Brazilian star Bruno Guimarães and Moroccan Ibrahim Díaz have each recorded 4 assists. However, with Brazil's exit from the tournament, Díaz will be the most prominent contender for Oliseh thanks to the "Atlas Lions" advancing to the quarter-finals.

Behind this duo is a distinguished group of players who have successfully provided three assists, led by Mexican Roberto Alvarado, who utilized the home advantage to serve his teammates, alongside Swedish Alexander Isak, Norwegian Martin Ødegaard, and German Florian Wirtz, confirming this trio's possession of high-quality attacking supply lines from the old continent.

The creativity does not stop here, as the list is adorned with a remarkable and impactful Arab presence, where several shining names are tied with two assists each, led by Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, who continues to guide the Pharaohs with his vast experience, along with Algerian Houssem Aouar, Tunisian Hannibal Mejbri, and Moroccan Achraf Hakimi, reflecting the strong Arab presence and the significant artistic leap of Arab teams on the global stage.