Lionel Messi remains Argentina’s designated primary penalty taker heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a role he held throughout the 2022 tournament where four of his seven goals came from the spot. At 38, the Inter Miami forward is confirmed in the squad and has maintained strong recent form in MLS and qualifiers, including multiple goals from open play and set pieces. Argentina’s expected deep run increases the number of matches and potential penalty situations, while the team’s attacking style and Messi’s positioning continue to draw fouls in the box. Current trader consensus at 63.5% implied probability for two or more penalties aligns with these established patterns and historical conversion rates rather than any single recent development.