Messi sets unwanted World Cup record

In a stunning turn of events, Lionel Messi has carved out a piece of World Cup history he would surely rather forget.

During Argentina's high-stakes Round of 16 clash against Egypt, the legendary talisman was denied from the penalty spot. Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir pulled off a spectacular save to thwart the maestro, cementing a frustrating new milestone. With that crucial stop, Messi officially became the first player in World Cup history to miss two penalties in a single tournament, excluding penalty shootouts.

Before Messi's recent struggles, the historical record for the most missed penalties across an entire World Cup career was shared between Messi himself and former Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan. Gyan famously missed two critical spot-kicks during his World Cup career—one against the Czech Republic in 2006 and another unforgettable, last-minute effort against Uruguay in the 2010 quarter-finals. However, Messi's latest blunder marks the first time any player has failed to convert two penalties within the span of a single tournament edition.

This latest setback mirrors a similar slip-up from the group stage, where Messi failed to convert a spot-kick during Argentina's otherwise comfortable two-to-zero victory over Austria.

This second miss carries far heavier consequences. The blunder occurred at a critical juncture in the knockout match, leaving La Albiceleste empty-handed while chasing the game after an early headed goal by Egypt's Yasser Ibrahim.

While the missed opportunity leaves Argentina in a vulnerable position, writing them off is premature. With plenty of time left on the clock, the footballing world watches to see if Messi can redeem the rare error and spearhead another classic Argentine comeback.