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Lionel Messi's World Cup campaign parallels LeBron James' 2018 run

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 21, 2026, 1:41 PM

Last updated Jul 21, 2026

Lionel Messi's World Cup campaign parallels LeBron James' 2018 run

Summary

Lionel Messi's journey with Argentina in the FIFA World Cup is being compared to LeBron James' performance with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018. Both players led their teams to the finals but were defeated by stronger opponents. Messi's deployment occurred at age 39, whereas James' career peak coincided with his run at 32. Statistical analyses highlight Messi's 8.79 average rating, mirroring James' rating, while the performance of their respective top teammates significantly lagged, further underscoring their dominance during these championships. These comparisons reflect on Messi's impressive performance despite playing in an MLS perceived as a league for past-prime athletes.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•Messi's World Cup run ended with Argentina losing.
•James led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2018.
•Both players had an average rating of 8.79 in their respective tournaments.
•Messi's best teammate, Lisandro Martinez, scored 7.29, while James' Kevin Love scored 7.11.
•Messi performed at age 39, while James was 32 during his finals run.

Latest Updates

1:41 PMYahoo Sports — Lionel Messi’s World Cup campaign earns comparison to LeBron James and 2018 Cleveland Cavaliers

What they're saying

"
After Lionel Messi’s World Cup dreams with Argentina were shattered, many fans noticed similarities between his run and LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Both James and Messi are considered two of the greatest, if not the greatest, players outright, in their respective sports.
— Yahoo Sports

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Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball