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, but this time it was for a record no player wants. During Argentina's Round of 16 clash with Egypt, Messi missed a penalty, making him the player with the highest number of penalties taken and missed in FIFA World Cup history, excluding shootouts.

An Unwanted Milestone

The missed penalty came early in the first half against Egypt, marking Messi's eighth penalty attempt in World Cup matches—a number no other player has reached before. Alongside this, he now holds the record for the most penalties missed in the competition, having failed to score four times from the spot during regular play.

Interestingly, Messi is also the first player to miss two penalties in a single FIFA World Cup edition, as he had earlier missed one during the group stage match versus Austria.

Messi’s Missed Penalties in FIFA World Cups

• Russia 2018: Against Iceland
• Qatar 2022: Against Poland
• 2026 FIFA World Cup: Against Austria
• 2026 FIFA World Cup: Against Egypt

Despite these misses, Messi has successfully converted many critical penalties throughout his World Cup career. Notably, in Qatar 2022, he scored four penalties, contributing significantly to Argentina’s championship win.