Austria Celebrates as Messi Misses Rare World Cup Penalty
Argentina and Austria met on Monday evening at the stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the match produced an early shock when Lionel Messi missed a penalty inside the first 10 minutes, leaving the score at 0-0. It was Messi’s third missed penalty in his World Cup career, and the miss made him the tournament’s new record holder for penalty misses.
Austrian media reacted with surprise and relief, saying, “You do not see something like this often. Lady Luck smiled on Austria.” Another report said that although Messi normally views a penalty as a clear scoring chance, “the nerves got to him” and, amid the loud reactions of Austrian fans, he sent the shot wide. The coverage added that it was “great luck and extra motivation for the team in this game.”
The article was published on June 22, 2026, as part of coverage of the 2026 World Cup.
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