Lionel Messi explains why he took Panenka penalty that clipped crossbar & admits to feeling ‘scared’ about injury before Argentina’s dramatic Copa America quarter-final clash with Ecuador

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was back at Lionel Scaloni’s disposal for a last-eight encounter with Ecuador. He recovered from injury in time to play the full 90 minutes of that contest, with there no extra-time in the 2024 Copa.

Messi stepped up first in the shootout, at the end of a dramatic 1-1 draw that saw Ecuador equalise in stoppage-time, but dinked his tame effort onto the frame of the goal. The Inter Miami superstar told reporters afterwards: “I was very angry, I was convinced that I would take it like that. I had spoken with Dibu (Martinez), with (Geronimo) Rulli, I had taken a couple of penalties. I hadn't practised, but I spoke with them. I had been taking several cross-shots, in fact the goalkeeper dived for a cross-shot, I tried to touch it and it went high.”

Messi had been nursing a muscle complaint in the build-up to the game and admits that fitness concerns were playing on his mind before a ball was kicked. He added on spending the week “trying to get rid of the discomfort I had, the pain, training little by little, feeling a little scared, letting go little by little. In the last training sessions I felt better and I thought I could be there. I felt fine, I had no discomfort, nothing. There is always a bit of psychological fear of having an injury or discomfort, but at a muscular level I had nothing. (Scaloni) asked me if I was ready to play and I said yes.”

Argentina are now into the semi-finals, as their defence of a prestigious continental crown continues. Emi Martinez was once again their hero in a penalty shootout – as he has been so often down the years – and a meeting with either Venezuela or Canada is next on the agenda for them.