Messi Breaks FIFA World Cup Record for Most Penalties Taken and Missed
Lionel Messi added another chapter to his World Cup story at the 2026 tournament, though this time it was for records few would want. After missing a penalty against Egypt, he set the mark for the most penalties taken and missed in FIFA World Cup history, excluding shootouts.
Setting a New Benchmark
During Argentina's Round of 16 clash with Egypt, Messi missed a spot kick early in the first half. That miss was his eighth penalty attempt in World Cup matches, surpassing all others. It also brought his total misses to four, the highest ever in regular World Cup play.
Messi is also the first player to miss two penalties within the same World Cup edition. Earlier in the group stage, he failed to convert a penalty against Austria, adding to his tally.
Tracking Messi's Missed Penalties
- 2018 Russia: Missed penalty vs Iceland
- 2022 Qatar: Missed penalty vs Poland
- 2026 FIFA World Cup: Missed penalties vs Austria and Egypt
Despite these misses, Messi has scored several important penalties. Notably, he converted four penalties during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, helping Argentina lift the trophy.
