🚨 World Cup: a record Messi could well have done without! | OneFootball

Even football kings have their moments of weakness when the pressure ramps up.

Against Egypt in the World Cup round of 16, Lionel Messi saw his penalty saved by the opposing goalkeeper, setting a record he would gladly have done without.

The Argentina captain officially becomes the first player in history to miss two penalties during the same World Cup edition, excluding penalty shootouts. He had already missed a penalty against Austria in the group stage. 

This latest miss also confirms Messi’s struggles from the penalty spot at the World Cup. In eight attempts overall, he has converted only four, with four misses as well.

After his misses against Iceland in 2018, Poland in 2022 and Austria earlier in this World Cup, Egypt became the fourth national team to deny La Pulga from 12 yards. A surprisingly mixed record for one of the greatest finishers in football history.

This miss comes while Argentina continue to make history in another area. With this penalty won against the Pharaohs, La Albiceleste take their total number of penalties awarded in World Cup history to 19, an outright record, ahead of Spain (18).

But the Egyptians have something to say too: they become the first national team to have faced three penalties in the World Cup without conceding a single goal.

Special mention goes to Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, who has now saved two penalties at this World Cup, against Mehdi Taremi and then Lionel Messi. A true wall.

Statistics: Opta, @Statsdufoot

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

📸 ROBERTO SCHMIDT - AFP or licensors