“In a World Cup semi-final against Croatia with Argentina’s campaign on a knife-edge, Messi calmly whips his penalty into the top corner to break the deadlock and move to 11 World Cup goals and 791 in his career.”
In a World Cup semi-final that feels like his last shot at the trophy, Messi coolly opens the scoring from the spot and then humiliates Gvardiol with a late-career dribbling clinic to lay on Álvarez’s clincher, dragging Argentina into another final.
In a World Cup final seen as his last chance at the trophy, Messi breaks the deadlock against France with an ice-cold penalty under immense pressure, setting Argentina on their way and recording his 12th World Cup strike and 792nd career goal.
Against the Netherlands in a World Cup quarter-final, Messi calmly sends the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot to make it 2–0 under immense pressure, a nerveless finish that also brings up his 10th World Cup goal.
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 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.