WHY DOES MESSI KEEP MISSING PENALTIES.mp4

Football

Year2026

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Everyone assumes Lionel Messi is unstoppable. But there's one part of his game that has never been truly elite... penalties. Messi has already missed two penalties in regulation time, becoming the first player ever to do so in a single World Cup. So... What is happening? The answer isn't a bad technique. Unlike specialists such as Harry Kane or Jorginho, Messi doesn't rely on the same routine every time. Instead, he watches the goalkeeper until the very last second, trying to outsmart him before deciding where to shoot. Sounds genius, right? The problem is that looking at the goalkeeper means taking your eyes off the ball. According to penalty experts, that split-second decision costs precision. If the goalkeeper doesn't commit early, Messi is forced to make a last-second adjustment, increasing the chances of missing the target or hitting a weaker shot. That's exactly what happened against Austria and Egypt, where goalkeepers refused to dive early, forcing Messi into an awkward finish that went wide. Ironically, the creativity that makes Messi the greatest player in open play may actually work against him from the penalty spot. Across his entire career, Messi has converted around 77 percent of his penalties, a solid number, but actually slightly below the average for elite penalty takers. The lesson? Even the greatest footballer in history has one weakness. And for Lionel Messi... It's those 12 yards.