Video: Lionel Messi misses penalty for Argentina vs Egypt at 2026 World Cup

Argentina’s Lionel Messi uncharacteristically squandered a golden opportunity, failing to convert a penalty kick following a blatant foul in the Egyptian box during their high-stakes 2026 World Cup Round of 16 clash.

Messi’s golden opportunity arose after Ibrahim Yasser’s precision header put Egypt on the scoreboard first. However, the squandered chance perfectly encapsulated Argentina’s sluggish performance, with the reigning World Cup champions looking like a shadow of the dominant squad fans are accustomed to seeing.

For Messi, the missed spot-kick adds an unwanted record to his legendary resume, instantly magnifying the pressure and expectation on his shoulders for the remainder of the match.

The blunder also inevitably reignites the eternal debate with Cristiano Ronaldo regarding their respective efficiency—and failures—from the penalty spot. With Argentina’s tournament life now hanging in the balance, all eyes are on how Messi responds to the adversity.

Messi’s career penalty record

According to Transfermarkt, over his illustrious career Messi has stepped up to the spot 150 times (excluding post-match penalty shootouts). He has converted 114 of those attempts while missing just over 36, placing his career success rate at roughly 78%.

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While that remains a highly respectable figure, it sits just a fraction below the efficiency expected of the world’s most elite, dedicated penalty specialists. Still, Messi has proven he can deliver when the stakes are highest, famously converting under immense pressure against France in the Qatar 2022 World Cup final.