Maradona’s Untouchable Record That Messi and Ronaldo May Never Surpass
- Diego Maradona set a World Cup benchmark that remains extremely difficult to replicate in the modern game
- Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo have impressive tournament histories, but changes in officiating make comparisons across eras challenging
- The expanded 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico promises new milestones, though some feats from football’s more physical era may stand the test of time
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, bringing with it the possibility of several historic records being broken on football’s biggest stage.
This year’s competition will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and for the first time in history, 48 nations will take part in the global showpiece.
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42 teams, including Ghana's Black Stars, have already secured qualification, while the remaining six spots will be decided through upcoming playoff matches.
Records are often set at football’s biggest stage, where legends are made and reputations cemented. Yet some feats appear almost untouchable, not because modern players lack quality, but because changes in rules and officiating make them far harder to replicate.
One such record belongs to Argentine icon Diego Maradona. Although several stars have come close, his mark in World Cup history still stands apart.
Maradona: Most fouled player in World Cup history
Maradona featured in four World Cups (1982, 1986, 1990 and 1994), with his captaincy and triumph at Mexico 1986 remaining the highlight. That tournament saw him lead Argentina to their second world title, following their first in 1978. But alongside his brilliance, he was relentlessly targeted by opponents.
Since foul data began being officially recorded in 1970, Maradona was fouled 152 times in World Cup matches - the highest total ever recorded, according to reports from Olé.
More than 100 of those fouls came during Mexico ’86 and Italy ’90 alone. Across 21 World Cup appearances, he averaged an astonishing 7.23 fouls per game.
Second on the list is another Argentine great, Lionel Messi. The current Albiceleste captain has been fouled 75 times across five World Cups, averaging 2.88 per match in 26 appearances.
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The ranking continues with Brazilian legends Jairzinho (64 fouls) and Neymar (60), while Cristiano Ronaldo sits fifth with 58.
Neymar averages four fouls per game across three tournaments, while Ronaldo, who has played the same number of World Cups as Messi but in 22 matches, averages 2.63 per game, per Planet Football.
If Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo feature in the 2026 edition, their numbers will rise. However, overtaking Maradona’s total appears highly unlikely, particularly given how the modern game has evolved.
Football during Maradona’s era was significantly more physical. Today, stricter refereeing, harsher disciplinary measures and technological assistance such as VAR have reduced the frequency of heavy contact and repeated fouling.
As a result, records like Maradona’s are increasingly difficult to approach, let alone surpass.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi debate
In an earlier report, YEN.com.gh highlighted a 2023 poll by The Athletic in which 66 per cent of former footballers favoured Ronaldo, considering his career superior.
Lionel Messi garnered 34 per cent of the total votes, while many of Ronaldo’s supporters took to social media to challenge the poll results, firmly maintaining their belief that the Portuguese star remains supreme.
Source: YEN.com.gh
