How many penalties has Lionel Messi missed at the World Cup? Shock stats emerge with history-making failed attempt

Lionel Messi has become the first player in history to miss two penalties outside a shootout at the same World Cup.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who became the top goalscorer in World Cup history at this summer’s tournament, claimed an unwanted piece of history in Atlanta on Tuesday.

Getty

After missing against Austria in the group stage, the Argentina superstar failed to convert from the spot once again in the last-16 clash against Egypt.

With Argentina trailing in the first half, Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir guessed correctly and made a comfortable save diving low to his left to preserve their surprise lead.

While many consider Messi to be the greatest player in history, his penalty record on the biggest stage leaves a little to be desired.

The 39-year-old is the only player in history to miss at three separate World Cups, having now failed to score half of his attempts from the spot (4/8).

With a goal, Messi would have broken the record for most goals by an Argentina player at a single World Cup.

That feat currently belongs to Guillermo Stabile, who scored eight times in four games during the first ever World Cup in 1930.

Despite missing two spot-kicks, Messi has seven goals in five matches so far in North America, tying him for the Golden Boot with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

England captain Harry Kane is just one behind with six, making it the most star-studded Golden Boot race in living memory.

Messi has already broken the record for scoring in the most consecutive World Cup matches.

By moving that run to eight games in the round of 32 victory over Cape Verde, Messi moved two clear of the previous tally jointly held by France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho (6).

AFP

This is a developing story and is being updated.

For the latest updates, breaking news alerts, and comprehensive analysis, refresh this page or follow our real-time news coverage by watching and listening to talkSPORT live.

For broader context, explore related coverage on our homepage for the top trending stories. For the latest talkSPORT videos, download the app.

talkSPORT cares about getting it right, not just getting it first and because this is a developing situation, details will change. We will be updating this page constantly with verified info, expert takes, and official statements.

Stay tuned for further developments as this story continues to break.