Messi Broke The Record But Also Missed a Penalty First: Classic Messi

[Outlaw92]

The narrative of Messi's record-breaking night against Austria required one more detail to be perfect. He missed a penalty in the ninth minute. Dragged it wide of the left post. The Austrian goalkeeper celebrated. For a moment it looked like the record might elude him for another game. Then Messi scored in the 38th minute. Then Messi scored in stoppage time. The record broken. The penalty miss forgotten. This is how Messi moments always seem to go. Dramatic. Human. Then transcendent. He was the first player in history to score in a competitive match for Argentina after also missing a penalty in the same game. Even the statisticians couldn't keep up.

[Amy]

Missing a penalty then breaking the all-time World Cup scoring record in the same match is peak career arc

[Natalie61]

The Austrian goalkeeper celebrated the penalty save. Then conceded twice. Football is not kind

[Phil80]

First player to score for Argentina in a match where he also missed a penalty. Because someone had to track that stat

[Lucy05]

If he hadn't missed the penalty the record would have been broken thirty minutes earlier. Drama required

[NeutrinoX54]

VAR awarded the penalty. VAR involvement in literally everything at this World Cup is impressive

[Ronan_34]

The gap between missing the penalty and scoring was about thirty minutes of growing anxiety

[Slay40]

Messi dragging a penalty wide is a surprise. He's usually reliable from the spot. Unusual miss

[Clever Georgia]

Austria's goalkeeper saved it and then shipped two. The save almost didn't matter

[Lucy_35]

The record broken in second-half stoppage time with a rebound finish is perfectly unglamorous for a historic moment

[DarkSideRichard47]

First time in his career scoring for Argentina in a game where he also missed a penalty. What a fact