Lionel Messi extends unwanted record during Argentina vs Egypt; List of penalty misses by Argentinean in FIFA World Cups
Lionel Messi became the first player to miss two penalties in a single edition of the World Cup. After Messi missed one against Austria in the group stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026, he missed another against Egypt in a round of 16 clash.
Lionel Messi extended his unwanted record of penalty misses in the FIFA World Cups, when the Argentinean saw his shot from the spot saved during their round of 16 clash against Egypt at the Atlanta Stadium on Tuesday. The golden chance for Argentina came in the 21st minute after Haissem Hassan brought Nicolas Tagliafico inside the box.
Messi stepped up for the penalty kick and shot on the right. Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir jumped to his right to deny the eight-time Ballon d'or winner. This was Messi's second penalty miss in this World Cup - first player to do so in a single edition (excluding shootouts).
Earlier, Messi saw his penalty saved during their group-stage game against Austria. In the process, Messi extended his World Cup penalty miss to four out of eight he shot from the spot. Meanwhile, Argentina scripted one of best comebacks in World Cup history to beat Egypt in round of 16.
Down by 0-2 by the 67th minute, Argentina scored three goals inside 13 minutes to book a place in the last eight. Christian Romero started the comeback with a 79th minute strike, before Messi's left-footed shot went inside the net four minutes later.
Enzo Fernandez's 93rd minute header confirmed Argentina's win. Argentina will either take on Colombia or Switzerland in the quarterfinal. Messi also became the first player in World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout stage matches.
Lionel Messi's World Cup penalty record
| Year | Opponent | Goalkeeper | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Iceland | Hannes Halldorsson | Saved |
| 2022 | Saudi Arabia | Mohammed Al-Owais | Scored |
| 2022 | Poland | Wojciech Szczesny | Saved |
| 2022 | Netherlands | Andries Noppert | Scored |
| 2022 | Croatia | Dominik Livakovic | Scored |
| 2022 | France | Hugo Lloris | Scored |
| 2026 | Austria | Alexander Schlager | Saved |
| 2026 | Egypt | Mostafa Shoubir | Saved |
What happened in first half?
Earlier, defending champion Argentina trailed Egypt 1-0 at halftime. Yasser Ibrahim scored with a header in the 15th minute to give Egypt a surprise lead at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and Messi missed the chance to level the match when his penalty was saved by goalkeeper Shobeir.
Messi also hit the post with a long-range free kick and Julian Alvarez thought he had put Argentina back into the match shortly before the break but his effort was pushed away by Shobeir. Argentina is bidding to become the first back-to-back World Cup champion since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
The three-time champions were given a scare by Cape Verde in the last round, needing extra time to win 3-2. Egypt has already made history by advancing to the round of 16 for the first time, having failed to get beyond the group stage on its four previous appearances.
Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.
About the Author
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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