Lionel Messi experienced another unforgettable night at the 2026 World Cup, even though Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria did not begin perfectly for him.
In the opening minutes, Argentina were awarded a penalty after Lautaro Martinez won a big opportunity for his team. Messi stepped up with huge expectation on his shoulders, but his left-footed effort went wide of the post. It was a rare moment of frustration for the Argentine superstar.
After the match, Messi did not hide from the mistake. He admitted he was very angry with himself because the penalty was so badly taken. For a player who has always set incredibly high standards, the miss was clearly difficult to accept.
But Messi’s greatness lies in how he responds.
The Argentina captain quickly regained his composure and scored twice to lead his side to a 2-0 victory over Austria. The result sent Argentina through early to the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup and once again underlined their status as one of the tournament favourites.
Messi’s brace also carried historic significance. He lifted his total number of World Cup goals to 18, moving beyond Miroslav Klose’s mark of 16 to become the greatest scorer in the history of the tournament.
He also claimed his 13th World Cup Player of the Match award, more than any other player in history.
Even at nearly 39 years old, Messi remains humble. He stressed that the most important thing was Argentina’s victory, the team’s fighting spirit and the fact they had achieved their objective of reaching the next round.
One missed penalty could not overshadow another historic Messi night. Instead, it made the story even more powerful: he made a mistake, felt the anger, then stood up and decided the match.
That is Messi.
