After their 2025 Leagues Cup loss to the Seattle Sounders, Inter Miami sought to bounce back against Charlotte in the MLS. Unfortunately, the team suffered a significant 3-0 defeat. Lionel Messi had an early chance to score but missed a penalty, marking the 32nd miss of his career. This incident led to renewed discussions about Ronaldo’s penalty record, adding to their ongoing rivalry.
Cristianoo Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been at the forefront of soccer for 17 years, consistently showcasing their skills. Both players continue to be vital for their teams, recently making a significant impact in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for their nations.
Messi’s penalty performance early in his career was less than stellar, but he has since evolved into a reliable penalty-taker. Out of 145 penalties, he has missed 32, resulting in a conversion rate of 77.93%. This marks him as one of the best penalty specialists in the sport.
While Messi has shown great skill, Cristiano Ronaldo has a slight advantage in penalty efficiency. Ronaldo has taken 210 penalties and missed just 33. Despite having more attempts, Ronaldo’s conversion rate stands at 84.29%, demonstrating his precision in this key area of the game.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF looks on with the Runners-up medal after the Leagues Cup Final.
Messi’s unexpected penalty miss with Inter Miami halts impressive streak
In recent years, Ronaldo has built a strong reputation as a penalty specialist. Recently, Lionel Messi made headlines with a notable streak of successful penalties, which came to an end with his miss against Charlotte FC while playing for Inter Miami.
Before this recent miss, Messi had an outstanding streak, going nearly three years without a penalty failure. His last miss was during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar against Poland, where he was denied by Wojciech Szczesny. However, Argentina won that match, unlike the more recent loss following his missed penalty.