Messi Blew A Penalty, Then Dropped 17 World Cup Goals And The Entire Planet Is Watching

Okay, Seattle, you are NOT going to believe what went down in Texas. Lionel Messi, the guy everyone talks about, just did something absolutely wild. The dude missed a penalty, and not just missed it, he said he was "very angry" with himself for how badly he hit it. But you know what happens when a legend gets angry? He goes out and absolutely MAKES history, scoring twice and becoming the all-time leading scorer at the World Cup with 17 goals! Argentina took a 2-0 win over Austria, but it was Messi's rage that fueled the fire.

From Foul-Up to Fury: How a Missed Penalty Changed Everything

You heard it right. Early in the game, with the score still 0-0, Messi stepped up to the spot and, in his own words, "struck it very badly," dragging a weak penalty wide. Can you even imagine the pressure? For a player of his caliber, known as arguably the best ever, that has to sting. And it did. He admitted, "Today there was a moment where I was very angry about the penalty because I missed and I struck it very badly. Luckily we were able to turn the situation around, take the lead and take three very important points." This wasn't a fluke either, he's had a surprisingly poor record from the spot, even missing penalties in the 2022 World Cup against Poland and back in the 2018 tournament. The guy is turning 39 this Wednesday, came into this tournament with a hamstring "injury cloud," and he's still kicking, even after committing late to his sixth World Cup for Argentina. Remember how he dismantled Algeria 3-0 with a hat-trick in their opener? That's the Messi we expect.

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History Made: 17 Goals and a Stubborn Victory

But here's where the magic, or should I say, the pure grit, came in. Fueled by that missed spot-kick, Messi swept home his first goal on 38 minutes, triggering pandemonium at the Dallas Cowboys' home field. That goal, number 17, officially made him the leading scorer in World Cup history. Not content with that, he bagged his 18th goal in second-half injury time, cementing the 2-0 victory and propelling Argentina into the last 32! It wasn't an easy ride though. Argentina, the reigning champions, didn't exactly dominate the second half. Austria, who beat Jordan 3-1 recently, proved to be stubborn opponents, even getting a couple of glimpses at goal themselves. Messi summed it up, saying, "A very hard victory, the truth is that we knew that it was going to be a match of great intensity. This World Cup is all very even games... no one gives anything away, today there was also a lot of intensity."

What's Next for Argentina?

So, what's next for the legendary Messi and Argentina? They're on the cusp of locking down Group J. If Jordan doesn't pull off a win against Algeria, Argentina will advance as Group J winners, setting them up to face the runners-up from Group H, which is currently Uruguay. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni might even choose to give his talisman a much-needed rest for their next match against Jordan on Saturday. But don't count on Messi sitting back. The man said it himself: "We're Argentina and we're always going to look to win against any opponent." He wants all nine points, and after that performance, who's going to bet against him?

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.