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From a missed penalty against Austria to becoming the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history, Messi continues to prove that greatness belongs to those who refuse to be defined by failure
By Paul Lucky Okoku
The people who wrote Messi off for choosing America are now watching him make history while helping transform football in the United States.
The first time I saw Lionel Messi play live was at the FIFA U-20 World Championship in the Netherlands in 2005. I was there supporting Nigeria’s Flying Eagles under the leadership of my childhood friend and former teammate, Samson Siasia. That tournament introduced the world to a remarkable generation of footballers, including John Obi Mikel and a young Argentine whose balance, vision, intelligence, and confidence immediately caught the eye. His name was Lionel Messi. More than two decades later, while most of his contemporaries have long retired from elite football, Messi continues to rewrite the sport’s history books.
Lionel Messi missed a penalty in the ninth minute against Austria.
For most footballers, that would have become the defining moment of the evening. For Messi, it became little more than a footnote.
Instead of allowing disappointment to define him, he responded the way champions respond. He continued to compete. He continued to create. He continued to lead.
By the end of the night, he had become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history.
FROM PENALTY MISS TO WORLD CUP IMMORTALITY
Against Austria, Messi experienced both disappointment and triumph within the same match. In the ninth minute, he shockingly missed a penalty. In the 38th minute, he received a pass from Thiago Almada and calmly beat the Austrian goalkeeper with a precise left-footed finish. The goal was historic. It was his 17th FIFA World Cup goal, moving him past Miroslav Klose and making him the highest goalscorer in men’s World Cup history. But Messi was not finished. In the 90+4th minute, he reacted quickest to a loose ball near the goal line and poked home his second goal of the evening. Goal number 18. Another record. Another chapter.
THEY WROTE HIM OFF FOR CHOOSING
AMERICA When Lionel Messi chose Major League Soccer, many critics saw it as the beginning of the end. Some questioned why the greatest player of his generation would leave Europe. Others suggested that moving to America meant leaving elite football behind. Today, those critics are being forced to reconsider. Instead of disappearing from the global spotlight, Messi has expanded it. Instead of weakening his influence, he has increased it. Instead of fading away, he is making history.
THE MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER (MLS) EFFECT
Major League Soccer has welcomed international stars before. David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Wayne Rooney, Kaká, Didier Drogba, Andrea Pirlo, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Gareth Bale, Gonzalo Higuaín, and Luis Suárez all contributed to the league’s growth. Yet Messi’s influence operates on an entirely different level. His arrival has attracted new fans, increased global media attention, and helped grow football itself.
WHY THE WORLD CUP MATTERS TO MLS
The FIFA World Cup is introducing millions of people to football. Many are watching Lionel Messi become the highest goalscorer in World Cup history. When the tournament ends, Messi will return to MLS. Every new fan inspired by Messi becomes a potential MLS supporter. The World Cup creates the audience. Messi helps retain it.
PERSONAL REFLECTION
As a former international footballer who represented Nigeria and later built a life in the United States, this story resonates with me personally. I have lived in America for more than four decades. When I first arrived, football occupied a very different position within the American sporting landscape. Today, football stadiums are filled, youth participation continues to expand, and Major League Soccer commands international attention.
BUILDING ON THE MOMENTUM
The challenge now is sustainability. The World Cup will eventually end. The excitement will eventually subside. American football stakeholders must continue investing in youth development, grassroots football, coaching education, community infrastructure, and pathways from youth football to the professional game.
CONCLUSION: THE PENALTY HE MISSED AND THE LESSON HE TAUGHT
When historians look back on Argentina’s victory over Austria, they will remember the records. They will remember the goals. They will remember that Lionel Messi became the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. What they may not remember is the penalty he missed in the ninth minute. Life rarely remembers our setbacks. Life remembers our response to them. The missed penalty became a footnote. The history became the headline. The doubters questioned his decision to come to America. Today, they are watching him make history while helping transform football in the United States.
Failure is an event. It is never an identity. Lionel Messi refused to allow a missed penalty to define his night. Instead, he turned it into another chapter of football history while continuing to elevate the game in the United States.
SHARE NOTE
If this article inspires you, share it with a young athlete, student, professional, or anyone facing adversity. The greatest lesson from Lionel Messi’s historic night may not be about football at all—it may be about persistence.
Paul Lucky Okoku
FIFA Legend | CAF Silver Medalist | Former Nigerian Super Eagles & Flying Eagles International | Former Olympic Qualifying Team Member | Football Analyst | Founder, GTCF
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“Football was not my destination. It was my transportation.”