Messi's weak spot: Why Lionel Messi often misses penalties despite his fame
Lionel Messi, considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, once again proved vulnerable from the penalty spot. In the group match against Austria he missed World Cup penalties for the third time in seven. The Argentinian has had ups and downs on penalties throughout his career, despite his unprecedented successes and records.
The word 'average' doesn't seem to fit Lionel Messi—except when it comes to penalties. During Argentina's group win over Austria in the 2026 World Cup, Messi failed for the third time on seven penalties at a World Cup. Four years ago, Szczęsny of Poland returned his bet, in 2018 it was the Icelander Halldorsson. It is illustrative of a striking weak spot in Messi's otherwise legendary career.
His performance also leaves much to be desired in his entire international career: Messi used 25 of his 31 penalties. If you add his club career, you see 116 accurate penalties out of 149; a success rate of 77 percent, which is below the average of the absolute world top.
That's all the more remarkable considering his reputation. With eight Ballon d'Ors, four Champions League titles and inimitable dribbling skills, Messi is often cited as the best ever. Yet penalties—theoretically the easiest chance—are a faltering element for him.
The same goes for Austria. After VAR intervened due to a foul on Lautaro Martínez, Messi had to wait more than five minutes. The goalkeeper, Alexander Schlager, remained cool during the penalty kick. Messi tried to tempt Schlager into an early dive with a short run-up and a look into the keeper's eyes, but ultimately shot the ball wide. "I was angry," Messi admitted afterwards. "I hit him really bad."
According to penalty expert Geir Jordet, Messi—just like Jorginho and Lewandowski—is a 'keeper-dependent' taker, someone who responds to the goalkeeper's movements. As a result, he sometimes loses precision, especially if the goalkeeper does not choose early. Jordet suspects that Messi, while taking his run-up, noticed that Schlager chose the right angle and wanted to place the shot as far as possible, resulting in a miss.
Messi has tried different styles over the years: slow low balls, fast kicks, and even panenkas. But in the absence of a fixed routine, he sometimes lacks the predictability and certainty that characterize other top scorers. That variation is also his strength, but at the same time his Achilles heel.
Yet thanks to his two goals against Austria, he entered the record books again: Messi is now the all-time top scorer at the World Cup. He proves that even the greatest sometimes have a weak spot. Penalties will never be his trademark, but his status will not be affected.
---
## Related Articles
1. [Mundial 2026](https://onzeactu.com/fr/news/coupe-du-monde-2026-largentine-affronte-lautriche-messi-vise-le-record-de-buts) 2. [Scotland vs Brazil: World Cup 2026 Preview](https://pitchpulsemedia.com/en/news/scotland-vs-brazil-world-cup-2026-preview)
Gerelateerde artikelen
Teams
Lionel Messi betovert als Speler van de Dag op het WK
Lionel Messi laat opnieuw zijn klasse zien en wordt beloond met de titel Speler van de Dag, na een uitmuntende prestatie op het WK voor Argentinië.
Teams
Europese toptrainers zonder club: Wie wordt de volgende aanwinst voor het seizoen 2026/27?
Steeds meer grote namen zijn voor het seizoen 2026/27 beschikbaar op de trainersmarkt. Antonio Conte heeft Napoli verlaten, Massimiliano Allegri is niet langer trainer van Milan, en ook coaches als Paolo Vanoli (Fiorentina) en Maurizio Sarri (Lazio) zijn zonder dienstverband. Daarnaast zijn er internationaal meerdere topcoaches zonder club, waaronder Pep Guardiola, die mogelijk een sabbatical neemt. Een dynamische markt dus voor clubs die een ervaren leider zoeken.
Teams
Dynamo Machatsjkala ontvangt vergoeding van FIFA voor deelname Mastouri aan WK 2026
De Russische club Dynamo Machatsjkala ontvangt een aanzienlijke vergoeding van FIFA voor de deelname van spits Hazem Mastouri aan het WK 2026 met Tunesië. De vergoeding bedraagt ongeveer €280.000 tot €300.000 en is niet gebonden aan het aantal gespeelde dagen. Mocht Tunesië de knock-outfase halen, dan kan het bedrag verder oplopen.
Teams
Manchester United koopt grond voor nieuw stadion met 100.000 zitplaatsen
Manchester United heeft grond verworven voor een nieuw stadion met een capaciteit van 100.000 toeschouwers, wat een belangrijke stap is in hun ontwikkelingsplannen.