Messi Lifts the World Cup (2022)

Lionel Messi's 2022 World Cup triumph is football's greatest narrative completion. He scored seven goals and assisted three more, including a penalty in the final shootout after a 3-3 draw with France. This victory outperforms #3 Michael Jordan's Last Shot in emotional gravity: Messi's Argentina had not won the World Cup in 36 years, and he played 690 minutes, 90% of the total tournament time. His 13 career World Cup goals rank him fifth all-time, but his eight assists surpass the average of all players since 1966. With 1.5 billion viewers, the final was the most-watched sports event ever.