Lionel Messi’s goal-scoring prowess is often the first thing mentioned when discussing his illustrious career.
As an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and a goal machine for both club and country, Messi’s achievements are well-documented. However, while his feats with Barcelona and now Inter Miami are celebrated globally, his record with Argentina has sometimes been overlooked. With 106 goals from 180 caps (and counting), Messi has tormented many teams on the international stage. However, 14 nations have successfully managed to keep him from finding the back of the net. Here are those teams, keeping in mind we’re only counting nations he’s actually played against.
14. Poland: The One That Got Away in Qatar
Messi had a strong World Cup campaign in 2022, but one team he couldn’t score against was Poland. Despite Alexis Mac Allister and Julián Álvarez scoring in Argentina’s 2-0 victory in the group stage, Messi failed to get on the score sheet. However, with Argentina going on to win the tournament, it’s unlikely he’s too bothered by this one.
13. Iceland: A Missed Penalty at the 2018 World Cup
Messi’s encounter with Iceland came at the 2018 World Cup. Despite Argentina dominating possession, Messi failed to convert a penalty, leading to a 1-1 draw in their opening match. This was Argentina’s first World Cup opener without a win since 1990.
12. Russia: A Narrow Win, No Messi Magic
Russia and Argentina faced off in 2017 in a friendly, with Messi captaining the side. However, it was Sergio Agüero’s late header that gave Argentina a 1-0 victory. Messi didn’t find the back of the net in his only game against Russia.
11. Belgium: World Cup Showdown Without a Messi Goal
The only clash between Messi and Belgium in the 21st century came during the 2014 World Cup quarterfinals. Argentina won 1-0, thanks to a goal by Gonzalo Higuaín. Messi played the full match but couldn’t score against the Belgian defense.
10. Trinidad and Tobago: A Pre-World Cup Friendly
Ahead of the 2014 World Cup, Messi captained Argentina in a 3-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in a friendly. While Messi provided leadership and creativity, he didn’t manage to score, leaving this Caribbean nation as one of the few to keep him off the scoresheet.
9. Sweden: A Rare Meeting Without a Goal
Argentina’s only encounter with Sweden in recent history came in a 2013 friendly. Messi played in the match, but it was a hard-fought game, and although Argentina won 3-2, Messi didn’t manage to get on the scoresheet.
8. Costa Rica: Assists, But No Goal
Messi’s only game against Costa Rica came in the group stage of the 2011 Copa América. While Argentina won 3-0, with Messi providing two assists, he didn’t score in the match. The two nations have played four times since 2010, but Messi has only featured in that one encounter.
7. Republic of Ireland: A Rare Encounter
Argentina’s sole match against the Republic of Ireland in the 21st century came in a 2010 friendly. Angel Di Maria scored the only goal of the game, as Messi, who played the full match, couldn’t get on the scoresheet.
6. Greece: Captain Without a Goal
Messi captained Argentina in their group-stage match against Greece at the 2010 World Cup. Despite a 2-0 win for La Albiceleste, Messi was unable to score. Greece has faced Argentina twice at World Cups, but Messi has only played in one of those matches.
5. South Korea: Victory, But No Messi Magic
Messi featured in Argentina’s 4-1 victory over South Korea at the 2010 World Cup. Despite his influence on the game, Messi didn’t score, making South Korea one of the few teams to have faced Messi without conceding a goal to him.
4. Norway: No Goals, No Wins
Norway is a unique case. Not only has Messi failed to score against them, but he has also never been part of a team that has beaten Norway. Their only meeting came in a 2007 friendly, which Argentina lost 2-1.
3. Angola: A 22-Minute Cameo
Messi’s only match against Angola came in a pre-2006 World Cup friendly, where he played just 22 minutes. The match ended 2-0 in favor of Argentina, but Messi didn’t have enough time on the field to make a difference.
2. Qatar: Two Matches, No Goals
Messi has faced Qatar twice in his international career. The first came in 2005, when he assisted a goal in a 3-0 friendly win. The second was in 2019, where Messi captained Argentina to a 2-0 victory in the Copa América. Despite the wins, Messi couldn’t score against the Qatari defense.
1. Hungary: A Red Card on His Debut
Perhaps the most memorable of Messi’s goal-less matches was his international debut against Hungary in 2005. Just 30 seconds after being substituted on, Messi was sent off for retaliating to a challenge. He hasn’t played against Hungary since, leaving this match as an unfortunate chapter in his career.
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