In a stunning turn of events, Lionel Messi missed a bizarre penalty during Argentina’s World Cup 2026 group stage match against Austria.
Following a VAR review, Egyptian referee Amin Omar awarded a penalty to the Albiceleste in just the 9th minute. Messi, who was riding high after scoring a spectacular hat-trick against Algeria just days prior, stepped up to take the spot-kick. Uncharacteristically, the Inter Miami star fired the ball completely wide of the target, squandering an early lead for Argentina.
A Missed Historic Milestone
Scoring this penalty would have cemented Messi’s legacy as the all-time top scorer in World Cup history. It would have been his 17th goal in the tournament, officially surpassing German legend Miroslav Klose‘s record of 16 goals.
An Unwanted World Cup Record
This marks the third penalty Lionel Messi has missed in his World Cup career. His previous misses occurred against Iceland at Russia 2018 and against Poland at Qatar 2022.
With this miss, Messi becomes the first player to fail to convert a penalty at the 2026 World Cup (hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico). Furthermore, he enters the history books with an unwanted record: the first player ever to miss three penalties in three consecutive editions of the FIFA World Cup.
ليونيل ميسي يهدر ركلة جزاء بطريقة غريبة… شاهد اللقطة 📹🇦🇷
📦 اشترك الآن 👇
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📱 https://t.co/alkogGtHdW#كأس_العالم2026 | #مونديال2026 | #كأس_العالم#beINWC26 | #FIFAWorldCup2026 | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/Ldc6RjKXRZ— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) June 22, 2026
