Lionel Messi has built a reputation for delivering on soccer’s biggest stage. However, questions arose over his penalty-taking duties after he missed spot kicks against Austria and Egypt at the 2026 World Cup. The debate intensified as Argentina prepared for its quarterfinal against Switzerland.
Coach Lionel Scaloni addressed the situation directly during a pre-match press conference. He made clear that he had no intention of preventing Messi from taking another penalty as Argentina continued its bid to defend the title.
Scaloni backs Messi to keep taking penalties
Scaloni made his stance clear before Argentina’s quarterfinal against Switzerland. He said it would not occur to him to tell Messi not to take the next penalty. Although Argentina has other capable penalty takers, Scaloni said Messi could take it if he wanted to do so.
Reporters asked Scaloni whether Messi’s recent misses could lead to a change. The coach rejected that possibility and gave his captain complete freedom to decide whether to take Argentina’s next spot kick. His response amounted to a clear vote of confidence in Messi.
The missed penalties that sparked the debate
Messi missed his first penalty against Austria during the group stage. His low attempt lacked power and was saved, but he recovered to score twice as Argentina won 2-0.
His second miss came against Egypt in the round of 16, when goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir saved his first-half attempt. Messi still delivered, assisting Cristian Romero before scoring Argentina’s late equalizer. Enzo Fernández then struck the stoppage-time winner as Argentina completed a 3-2 comeback from 2 goals down.
A record few players want to hold
That miss against Egypt made history for entirely the wrong reason. Messi became the first player ever to miss 4 non-shootout penalties across World Cup tournaments. It is a record that nobody really wants attached to their name. Yet it barely dented his influence on this current Argentina squad.
Across 6 separate World Cups, Messi has now taken 8 penalties outside shootouts. He has converted exactly half of them, missing the other 4 attempts. That statistic surprised plenty of fans, given his usual reputation for composure. Still, his overall World Cup legacy remains far bigger than these scattered misses.
Messi’s numbers still tell a different story
Despite the misses, Messi’s attacking numbers remain outstanding at this tournament. He has scored 8 goals and recorded 2 assists, putting him level with Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race entering the semifinals. His production has been exceptional for a 39-year-old.
Messi has also remained one of the tournament’s most productive chance creators. His movement between defensive lines continues to challenge organized defenses, and opponents still devote significant attention to limiting his influence.
Age is just a number for Messi
Scaloni addressed doubts about Messi’s age directly during his latest press conference. He said Messi runs about the same amount that he always has. The real difference now is how decisive every single touch has become. As long as Messi wants to keep playing, Scaloni believes he will stay the best.
Messi turned 39 years old on June 24. Few forwards that age remain their team’s biggest attacking threat at a World Cup. Messi has somehow bucked that trend completely throughout this entire summer. His movement, decision-making, and finishing all remain remarkably sharp under pressure.
Argentina’s bumpy road to the quarterfinals
Argentina’s path to the quarterfinals involved plenty of drama and nervous moments. It needed extra time to defeat World Cup debutant Cape Verde 3-2 in the round of 32. Against Egypt, Argentina trailed by 2 goals before scoring 3 times in the final stages to win 3-2. Scaloni praised his squad’s chance creation despite several costly errors.
Neither knockout match came easily for the experienced Argentina squad. Scaloni acknowledged that the team made isolated mistakes but emphasized its overall performance and the chances it created. That combination of errors and attacking quality defined Argentina’s early knockout run.
Little-known fact: At age 13, Messi’s move to Barcelona was sealed by an informal deal scrawled on a napkin during a lunch meeting with the club’s sporting director. That same napkin was sold at auction for $965,000 in 2024.
Scaloni shuts down outside noise
Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan suggested Argentina benefited from favorable officiating during their match. Scaloni dismissed those claims calmly, saying such accusations were nothing new for his team. He chose to focus on his players instead of outside distractions swirling around. That composure has defined Argentina’s knockout stage performances so far.
Scaloni has faced plenty of outside noise throughout his entire tenure as head coach. He rarely reacts publicly, preferring instead to let results speak for themselves. That measured approach has helped Argentina remain calm during high-pressure moments. His players seem to have adopted that same steady mindset this summer.
What this means for Argentina’s title defense
Argentina now turns its attention fully toward England in its semifinal round matchup. Scaloni sounds confident, and Messi remains fully backed by his own manager. Whether pressure mounts again from the penalty spot remains to be seen. One thing is certain, though: Messi still controls his own destiny there.
A deep run would only add to Messi’s already remarkable World Cup legacy. Another title would cement Argentina as the modern era’s most dominant national team. Fans worldwide keep watching closely to see how this story eventually unfolds. Scaloni’s steady leadership continues to give his veteran captain every chance to shine.
Little-known fact: Long before coaching Argentina, Scaloni played for West Ham on loan and helped the club reach the FA Cup final, where they lost to Liverpool on penalties.
TL;DR
- Scaloni said he would not prevent Messi from taking Argentina’s next penalty despite his recent misses.
- Messi missed spot kicks against Austria and Egypt, becoming the first player to miss 4 non-shootout penalties in World Cup history.
- Even with the misses, Messi has 8 goals and 2 assists and entered the semifinals level with Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race.
- Messi turned 39 on June 24, and Scaloni says his captain remains decisive and physically well prepared.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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