Lionel Messi has set an unwanted World Cup record by missing a penalty against Austria on Monday, his third miss from the spot in the tournament. The 38-year-old Argentina captain, who scored a hat-trick in his side's opening win over Algeria, had the chance to score early after Lautaro Martinez was fouled in the penalty area. Following a lengthy VAR check, Messi stepped up but sent his kick wide.
Messi's missed penalty sets unwanted record
The miss means Messi now holds the record for the most penalties missed at World Cups (excluding shootouts), with three. He previously missed against Iceland in 2018 and Poland in 2022. Asamoah Gyan of Ghana had held the record with two misses, against Czech Republic in 2006 and Uruguay in 2010. No other player has missed more than one penalty at World Cups, though England captain Harry Kane is one miss away from joining that group after his miss against France in 2022.
Messi scores to become all-time top scorer
Despite the early disappointment, Messi put Argentina ahead in the 39th minute with a classy finish, taking his World Cup tally to 17 goals. That moved him past Germany's Miroslav Klose, who he had shared the record with on 16 goals. The goal was also his 121st for Argentina, far ahead of Gabriel Batistuta's 56 in second place.
Penalty record context
Messi has taken seven penalties at World Cups, also a record. His miss against Austria was his third from seven attempts. Gyan's most memorable miss came in the 2010 quarter-final against Uruguay, when his late extra-time penalty hit the crossbar. Uruguay won the subsequent shootout after Luis Suarez, who had handled the ball on the line, celebrated wildly from the touchline.
Other players near the record
While Messi and Gyan are the only players with multiple missed penalties, several others have missed one, including Kane. The England captain missed against France in the 2022 quarter-finals in Qatar. According to BBC Match of the Day, Messi's miss was a significant moment in the match, but his subsequent goal ensured Argentina took the lead.
