Pelé’s 56-year record falls as France’s Olise sets new World Cup assists mark

Pelé’s half-century-old World Cup assist record is history after Michael Olise delivered his seventh assist of the 2026 tournament on Saturday.

What happened?

France’s Michael Olise set up two goals for Kylian Mbappé as Les Bleus beat England 6-4 in the third-place playoff at Miami Stadium on 18 July 2026. The two assists took Olise past Pelé’s long-standing record of six assists in a single World Cup edition, set at Mexico 1970. Mbappé converted both chances to finish with a brace, his 12th goal of the tournament.

Why it matters for Pelé

Pelé’s 1970 mark had stood for 56 years before Olise’s record-breaking seventh assist in Miami. The Brazilian legend’s record was one of the game’s most enduring landmarks until Saturday’s 2026 edition. Pelé’s tally was set across seven games in Mexico, where he also scored four times to fire Brazil to a third world title. Olise reached seven in just seven matches, surpassing the mark in the tournament’s final non-final.

How Olise got there

Olise began his World Cup run by assisting Mbappé’s opener against Senegal in the group stage. Two more assists followed in the 4-0 win over Iraq, then another two against Sweden in the Round of 16. His sixth assist came in the 3-0 quarter-final victory over Portugal, leaving him one shy of Pelé. The record fell in the bronze-medal match, where his seventh set up Mbappé’s second and third goals of the game.

What comes next?

Olise trails only Lionel Messi in the all-time World Cup assists chart. Messi leads with 12 across his career, meaning the Bayern Munich winger still needs five more to match the Argentina captain. Olise’s club season ended with 15 goals and 19 assists in the Bundesliga, helping Bayern Munich complete a domestic double. His World Cup exploits came in a losing cause as France’s 14-year reign under Didier Deschamps ended with a thrilling but ultimately heartbreaking defeat to England.

France’s third-place finish was settled in a 10-goal thriller at Miami Stadium on 18 July 2026. England led 4-0 inside 45 minutes, with Bukayo Saka scoring a first-half hat-trick. Mbappé pulled France back to 4-3 before Saka completed his treble to seal England’s best World Cup finish on foreign soil since 1966.