Lionel Messi is human. That much is clear now after he missed his second penalty of the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday, this time in a Round of 16 match against Egypt. The Argentina captain saw his spot kick saved by Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, and the miss put his team in a deeper hole early in the knockout stage.
According to Opta, Messi is now the first player in World Cup history to miss two penalties in a single tournament, excluding shootouts. It’s one of those records that sounds more like a curse than an achievement. He also missed from the spot during the group stage against Austria, though Argentina still won that game 2-0. This time, the miss came with Argentina already trailing 1-0 after an early header from Egypt’s Yasser Ibrahim.
The moment felt heavy. Messi is 39 years old, playing in what’s almost certainly his final World Cup. Argentina came in as defending champions after 2022, and expectations were sky-high. But penalty kicks have become a genuine issue. He’s missed three of his last six penalties for club and country combined, according to transfermarkt data. That’s not a blip anymore. That’s a pattern.
Why This Miss Hurts More Than the Last One
The penalty against Austria came in a group stage game Argentina eventually won comfortably. It was frustrating but not fatal. This one is different. Argentina is facing elimination in a single-elimination game, and every missed chance cuts deeper. The team had already struggled to create clear looks against Egypt’s organized defense. A penalty was supposed to be the easy way back into the game. It wasn’t.
Shobeir read Messi’s body language perfectly. He dove to his left and pushed the ball away with both hands. Messi watched the ball roll away, then put his hands on his hips. The camera stayed on him for a few seconds. It was the kind of shot that makes you wonder if the weight of the tournament is finally getting to him.
Argentina still had time to equalize after the miss, but the momentum had clearly shifted. Egypt packed the box and dared Argentina to break them down. It’s the kind of defensive performance that frustrates even the best teams. Messi dropped deeper to get touches, but Egypt’s midfield clogged every passing lane.
One thing worth noting: Messi has always been an excellent penalty taker over his career. His conversion rate is well above 80 percent. But age and pressure do funny things. His run-up has looked a little slower this tournament. His shots have been less precise. The margins are razor thin at this level, and right now they’re not tilting his way.
Whether Argentina can dig out of this hole remains to be seen. But one thing is already settled: Messi owns a World Cup record now, just not the kind he wanted to put in the history books.
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