Lionel Messi misses penalty in Dallas, scripts unwanted FIFA World Cup record during Argentina vs Austria encounter
Lionel Messi has 16 goals at the World Cup to his credit. Previously, Messi saw his penalties saved against Iceland in 2018 and Poland in 2022 editions of the tournament.
Lionel Messi became the first player in history to miss a penalty thrice at the World Cup stage after the Argentine skipper shot wide against Austria on Monday during their Group F clash in the 2026 edition at the Dallas Stadium. Playing his 201st match, Messi entered the field with 16 World Cup goals, on level at the top with Germany's Miroslav Klose.
Dominating the game from the start, Argentina were awarded a penalty following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check after Lautaro Martinez was brought down inside the box by two Austrian defenders. Messi casually took the shot from the spot, only to see it to wide on the right.
Had Messi scored that goal, he would have surpassed Klose to become the all-time top-goalscorer at the FIFA World Cup. Before today, Messi was tied with Ghana's Asamoah Gyan for most penalty misses in he World Cup.
Gyan missed spot-kicks against the Czech Republic at the 2006 World Cup and famously against Uruguay in the quarterfinals of the 2010 tournament. Messi had his spotkicks saved against Iceland in 2018 and Poland in 2022.
Lionel Messi creates history in Dallas
Messi finally broke the World Cup scoring record with his 17th goal after 31 minutes. The record goal for a 1-0 lead came in the 39th minute and two days before Messi’s 39th birthday, and amid the concern of his ailing father. It was the sixth consecutive World Cup game in which Messi has scored.
Messi had equaled Germany striker Miroslav Klose for the most goals in the World Cup at 16 with his first hat trick at the tournament in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in the Group J opener last Tuesday night in Kansas City.
The hattrick in his pervious game - 200th international appearance - came 20 years to the date of his World Cup debut, when he also scored. Monday was his FIFA-record 28th match in the tournament. Klose played in 24 World Cup matches for Germany, which wrapped up his fourth tournament by winning the 2014 final 1-0 in extra time over Messi and Argentina.
Earlier, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has made one change to his starting lineup from the side that won 3-0 against Algeria in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener with Nahuel Molina replacing Gonzalo Montiel. But all eyes will be on Lionel Messi.
Argentina vs Austria starting lineups
Austria: Alexander Schlager; Kevin Danso, Stefan Posch, David Alaba; Nicolas Seiwald, Xaver Schlager; Romano Schmid, Konrad Laimer, Marcel Sabitzer, Paul Wanner; Michael Gregoritsch
Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Facundo Medina; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Thiago Almada.
Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.
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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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