Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni backed his talisman, Lionel Messi, to continue taking penalty kicks, despite his recent struggles from the spot at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Argentina skipper has missed both of his penalties in this tournament, scoring only four of his last seven for Argentina, going back to the 2022 World Cup.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi missed from the spot against Egypt. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)
But Scaloni knows that the Inter Miami attacker can step up when needed and handle pressure in crucial situations.
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‘Leo will take penalties if he wants to’: Lionel Scaloni
“First of all, Leo will take penalties if he wants to,” he said, ahead of their quarter-final match vs Switzerland.
Against Egypt, it was Messi’s intelligence that saw Argentina make a miraculous comeback after trailing 0-2, as he drifted to the right wing. The South Americans ended up winning 3-2, with Cristian Romero (79′), Messi (83′), and Enzo Fernandez (90+3′) scoring at the end.
He assisted Romero’s goal and then scored the equaliser, taking his tally to eight goals and one assist in this campaign.
“In truth, these days he usually plays much more centrally,” said Scaloni.
“But our entire team — and especially the players who move around him — play in relation to him. That’s normal. It happened naturally within the flow of the game. The team realized that he was creating danger from that side, especially because he was able to find passes into the opposite side where teammates could arrive. I think that became very clear.”
Scaloni also pointed out that whatever the former Barcelona man does on the pitch is ‘much more decisive’ than before.
“Leo runs pretty much the same amount he always has,” he said.
“It’s not that he’s running significantly more or less. The difference is that now everything he does is much more decisive. … Maybe it surprises people who don’t know him, who expected that at 39 he wouldn’t still be at this level. I’ve said it many times: As long as he wants to keep playing, he’ll be the best. That’s what I believe. Not because I’m his coach. As long as he still has the desire, he’ll remain the best,” he added.
Messi turned 39 last month and is having a fairytale run in what is possibly his final World Cup. Argentina are the defending champion, and has been unbeaten in this tournament.
