Analysis of Messi's Penalty Kick

Tell me about the 30 seconds when Messi took the ball to take the penalty.

The penalty. Tell me, those must have been the longest 30 seconds of your life.

Tell me, from the moment they called the penalty and Haj Messi went, took the ball,

and placed it like that.

Tell me, what were you seeing? What were you thinking? What did you see?

Look, Mr. Amr, in the Australia match,

we went to penalties.- Yes.- I didn't save a single one.

Yes, but thank God, they missed two.- Yes, bless them,

they really kicked the balls out, so thank God,

the important thing is we qualified.

So in the next match,

we were watching— I was watching Messi, watching the penalty takers,

and of course, Messi was the first of them.

And he surely watches you too,

he likes to know which corner you lean towards,

where a left- footed player shoots, technical things like that.

But in the penalty before that,

you saved it in the exact same spot.- The exact same spot, he...

Of course, it's all down to luck first and foremost, not skill at all.

I mean, I'm telling you,

one penalty was shot against me in the Iran match, and I saved it.

Four in the Australia match, I didn't save any, and I saved Messi's, which is...

so it's always about luck first and foremost.

Even though you study the opponent, how he stands, how he approaches the ball,

all of these things make a huge difference.

So in Messi's case,

Messi is always used to approaching slowly,

waiting for you to go to a corner, and putting it in

the opposite direction. He sees where you're going.— But he didn't do that because

he had missed the previous one the same way, approaching slowly. So the goalkeeper

stood his ground very well, and he kicked it completely wide on his own.

So for the next one, I was also asking myself, if there's a penalty,

will he stand or will he approach differently?

I didn't want him to approach like that.

The way I saved it, I didn't want him to approach like that.

I wanted him to approach standing up,

so I could wait and try until the end. As in,' I'll watch you until the very end.'-

But when he placed the ball and stepped back… He took a certain step and approached

in a way where it was very hard for him to slow down and look at you.- Mmhmm.

So that was it, and at the last moment, I decided it was going left,

and thank God, His success was with me.

And you saw that it was coming to this spot?- Yes.

So you waited until you knew

he was coming here?- Timing is very important.

Or is it because they always tell us there's anticipation,

that you'll dive right and whatever happens,

or dive left and whatever happens?

There are people who play like that.

Some play one and one, some play three right and three… everyone has their style…

And the goalkeeper?- That's why, that's why I told you at first, it's luck.

But no, when he made that run- up,

I just got the feeling that it was going left.

You've come here, my son.- You've come here,

but you still shouldn't have gone early.

You're playing against Messi,

so if he just sees you doing that, he'll change his mind.

So I tried to wait until the last moment and go left.

But before he shot, what were you thinking?

I mean, what was on your mind?- Nothing at all. Nothing at all.

If I had kept thinking that this is Messi and this is I don't know what,

it wouldn't...- But his eyes were locked with yours. What did he say to you?

Did he talk to you?- No, no, no, we didn't talk at all.

Because I've seen them talk to each other during penalties.- That happens,

and it's a technique I also use sometimes.

The idea of mind games, playing with him, but it doesn't work every single time.

Sometimes you just need to maintain your focus and not overdo it,

so you don't lose your concentration.

And thank God, that's what happened.

But did you have a feeling you'd save it, or that it would just go in?

Because there are two ways of mindset.- No, no.

It was Messi who took it, I have to give you a justification.

I mean, it's Messi, and this is the fourth penalty he's missed in his life.

I mean, you gave him a terrible score.— Let me tell you something, with penalties,

I think the pressure is always on the player, not the goalie.

Because at the end of the day, if you save it, you're the star of the match.

If it goes in, at the end of the day, it's a penalty, so you're not really

blamed for it.

So again, if you keep thinking,' Oh,

it's Messi who's taking the shot,'

or whatever— of course Messi is a legend, I mean, the best player in history.

But if you keep thinking about that too much in the middle of it,

it will take a lot out of you, so you might even…

I mean, mentally,

you might not go with your full power because your mind is racing,

so it's very important to stay focused on the event itself, that's all.