“With Argentina already ahead in their 2015 Copa América opener, Messi calmly sends the Paraguay keeper the wrong way from the spot to make it 2–0 and cap a hot scoring streak with his third goal in the competition and 458th of his career.”
On a hot scoring streak, Messi calmly buries a first-half Copa América penalty as captain against Paraguay, extending his run of goals while trying to steady Argentina in a group opener that slips from their control late on.
Against seven-time European champions Milan in a tense quarter-final deadlock, Messi calmly sends the keeper the wrong way from the spot to launch Barcelona’s 3–1 win and quietly reach 50 goals in the Champions League.
With Barcelona needing four more goals in the historic 6–1 comeback, Messi calmly buries a high-pressure penalty to restore the lead at 2–1 against PSG, pushing the remontada back on course and taking his Champions League tally to 94.
Against Bolivia in the 2021 Copa América group stage, Messi calmly sends the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot to double Argentina’s lead, a composed conversion that also brings up both his 100th career penalty goal and his 75th for the national team.
Against long-time nemesis Chile in a high-pressure World Cup qualifier, Messi calmly sends the keeper the wrong way from the spot to break the deadlock and keep Argentina’s campaign on track, adding World Cup Qualifier goal number 23 to his towering tally (career goal 744).