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Defenders Struggle with Penalties as World Cup 2026 Hits Lowest Conversion Rate Since 1966
How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.
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First reported by Mako · Jul 8, 2026
What happened
At the 2026 World Cup, defenders have missed a majority of their penalties, contributing to the lowest overall penalty success rate since 1966, while Lionel Messi set a record for most missed penalties in World Cup history.
- 01Only 66.1% of penalties have been scored at World Cup 2026, the lowest since 1966.
- 02Out of 10 defenders taking penalties, six have missed, five off target.
- 03Notable defenders missing penalties include Manuel Akanji and Davinson Sánchez.
- 04Lionel Messi missed four out of eight World Cup penalties, a tournament record.
- 05The quarterfinals of World Cup 2026 begin Thursday amid these penalty struggles.
Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.
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