Lionel Messi, the Soccer God, has a World Cup penalty kick success rate of just 50%. In this tournament, he’s already missed two penalties, becoming the only player in World Cup history to fail both attempts.
On Wednesday, Argentina edged out Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16 of the 2026 international Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup at Atlanta Stadium, securing a spot in the quarterfinals.
Messi played hero, netting a dramatic equalizer in the 78th minute, sparking a miraculous comeback.
The Argentine superstar continues to etch his name in the record books. He’s now the first player to score in nine straight World Cup matches, has tallied a record 21 World Cup goals, and leads this tournament with nine strikes.
Yet, behind Messi’s stellar performance lies an uncharacteristic blemish.
Earlier in the match, with his team down 1-0, Messi stepped up to take a crucial penalty in the 19th minute. Unbelievably, his shot was saved by the keeper, adding to his penalty woes.
This isn’t the first time the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) has faltered from the spot in this tournament. On June 29, Messi missed a penalty just 10 minutes into Argentina’s group stage clash with Austria. He did, however, redeem himself with a goal from open play in that match.
According to the BBC, Messi has made unwanted history, becoming the first player ever to miss two penalties in a single World Cup tournament.
The misses have taken a toll on Messi’s World Cup penalty record. He’s now missed four spot-kicks in his World Cup career, leaving him with a subpar 50% success rate from eight attempts.
Prior to this tournament, Messi had also failed to convert penalties against Iceland in the 2018 World Cup and Australia in the 2022 edition.