World Cup 2026: Should Argentina take Lionel Messi off penalties?

Messi has taken penalties in World Cup finals, Copa America finals and Champions League knockout ties.

He has taken Argentina’s opening penalty in nine shootouts, converting seven, with his only misses coming against Chile in the 2016 Copa America final and Ecuador in the 2024 Copa América quarter-final.

Perhaps that explains why Lionel Scaloni has shown no inclination to make a change. Asked directly on the eve of Argentina’s quarter-final against Switzerland whether Messi should remain on penalties, the Argentina coach offered an unequivocal answer.

“First of all, Leo will take penalties if he wants to,” Scaloni said. “We have other players capable of taking them, but if he wants to take them, he’ll take them.”

It is also worth remembering that Messi’s greatest tournament from the penalty spot came only four years ago.

At Qatar 2022 he converted six of his seven penalties, including setting Argentina on their way by scoring the opening kick in the shootouts against both the Netherlands and France en route to lifting the World Cup.

This tournament has been different. The misses have returned. On both occasions, Messi has rescued himself, but the debate is unlikely to disappear.

No team have been awarded more penalties across the last two World Cups than Argentina. They have received eight since 2022 – double the tally of any other side – including a record five during their victorious campaign, and three already in 2026.

On both occasions Messi has missed from the spot in this tournament, Argentina have survived. A third opportunity may not bring the same outcome. The margins will only become finer.

And that is why, uncomfortable though it feels, there is now a genuine conversation to be had. Not about Messi’s place among football’s immortals, but about whether, for the remainder of this World Cup, somebody else should be taking penalties during normal play.