Lionel Messi has shown that even the greatest can falter under pressure. The Argentina captain missed a penalty for the second time in this year’s World Cup, marking a rare and unwanted milestone in his illustrious career.

Earlier in the group stage, Messi had failed to convert a spot kick during Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria. That miss was soon forgotten after his side’s convincing performance, but lightning has struck twice for the talismanic forward.

In the Round of 16 clash against Egypt, Messi once again found himself standing over a penalty. However, his effort was brilliantly stopped by Egypt’s goalkeeper, Mostafa Shobeir. This save not only preserved Egypt’s lead but also etched Messi’s name into the record books as the first player to miss two penalties in a single World Cup tournament, excluding shootouts.

It was a particularly painful moment for Argentina, who were already trailing after an early header from Egypt defender Yasser Ibrahim put the African side in front. Despite the setback, Argentina still have time to mount a comeback and keep their World Cup hopes alive.

The miss adds an unexpected twist to Messi’s World Cup campaign and serves as a reminder that even football’s most gifted players can experience moments of vulnerability on the world’s biggest stage.