Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona's 1986 World Cup run stands as the single greatest individual performance in tournament history, surpassing even Pelé's 1970 campaign in terms of personal impact. He scored 5 goals and provided 5 assists across six knockout matches, including the iconic "Goal of the Century" against England, where he dribbled past five defenders. Without Maradona, Argentina's victory in 1986 is unthinkable—this represents the clearest individual carry in World Cup history, as his direct contributions accounted for over 70% of the team's goals in the knockout stages. His 8 assists in total that tournament made him faster than the average playmaker, cementing his legacy.