“With Barcelona suddenly pegged back at 1–1 away to Levante, Messi calmly converts the pressure penalty to restore the lead and keep his scorching 2011–12 scoring run rolling toward his 160th La Liga goal and 68th of the season.”
A decisive brace, including a nerveless late penalty, turns a tight league trip to Levante into a Barcelona win, with Messi driving play for 90 minutes and taking Man of the Match as he keeps his hot scoring streak alive.
Against the Copa América champions Chile in a tense World Cup qualifier, Messi calmly sends the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot to break the deadlock and keep Argentina’s fragile campaign on track, recording career goal 552 and his 18th in World Cup qualifiers.
Against Milan in a tense quarter-final deadlock, Messi calmly sends the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot to restore Barça’s lead before halftime and bring up his 51st Champions League goal.
In Argentina’s first World Cup qualifier on the road to Qatar, Messi breaks the deadlock against Ecuador with a calm, low penalty into the corner, asserting control of a tense campaign opener and logging career goal 706 and his 22nd in World Cup qualifiers.
At 2–2 against RB Leipzig with PSG’s Champions League momentum on the line, Messi calmly waits for the keeper to move before rolling in the retaken lead from the spot, sealing his brace and reaching career goal 755 and UCL goal 123.