(foto: Getty Images)
Lionel Messi missed another penalty against Egypt, becoming the first player to miss two penalties at a single World Cup.
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Lionel Messi has rewritten countless football records during his extraordinary career, but one statistic at the 2026 World Cup is one he would rather avoid.
The Argentina captain missed another penalty during his country's Round of 16 clash against Egypt, becoming the first player in World Cup history to miss two penalties in a single tournament.
With Egypt leading 1-0 in Atlanta, Messi had the opportunity to bring Argentina level from the penalty spot. Instead, the Egyptian goalkeeper guessed correctly and made a crucial save to preserve his side's advantage.
The miss came despite another tournament in which Messi has been one of Argentina's standout performers and remains among the competition's leading goalscorers.
Penalty kicks, however, continue to be an unexpected weakness for one of football's greatest players.
Messi has now taken eight penalties in World Cup matches and converted only four, giving him a success rate of 50 percent from the spot at football's biggest tournament.
For a player who has built a career on precision, composure and extraordinary technical quality, the numbers are surprisingly modest.
Despite the missed opportunity, Argentina continued to dominate possession and apply heavy pressure as they searched for an equaliser against a disciplined Egyptian defence.
Whether the penalty proves costly remains to be seen, but one thing is already certain. Even a player as gifted as Lionel Messi has one area of his game that continues to defy expectations.