Wrexham star makes Lionel Messi claim as he defends Megan Rapinoe and USWNT stars following their penalty shootout loss to Sweden

Wrexham AFC star Paul Mullin came out in defence of Megan Rapinoe and co, following their penalty misses against Sweden in the Round of 16 clash of the FIFA Women's World Cup.

Mullin cited Lionel Messi as a prime example of a player who missed from the spot. He believes that those who step up from 12 yards out are the courageous ones in the end. Mullin wrote after the USWNT were knocked out in the shootout (via Goal):

"The players who put their hand up to take a penalty at a World Cup — particularly in a shootout — are courageous. That’s football bravery. In recent days, we’ve all witnessed this as players from Sweden, the United States, England and Nigeria made that long walk from the halfway line.

"When it is shootout time, someone has to lose and, for that to happen, someone must miss. For Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith and Kelley O’Hara, it was, unfortunately, their misses which led to the USWNT’s exit by the finest of margins."

He added:

"I remember being asked about that miss [for Wrexham against Sheffield United] afterwards. I said if Lionel Messi — the greatest player to grace our game — can miss penalties, then of course I can.

"Missing is part of the game. And missing on the world stage is something no player will feel proud of in the moment. But they had to be there to miss them."

Mullin himself missed a penalty during Wrexham's FA Cup fourth-round replay against Sheffield United last season. The great man Messi failed to convert from the spot against Poland during the FIFA World Cup last year.

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Megan Rapinoe explains laugh after penalty miss in FIFA Women's World Cup

Megan Rapinoe (via Getty Images)

USWNT star Megan Rapinoe explained the reason behind her laughing after the penalty miss against Sweden in the FIFA Women's World Cup Round of 16 tie. The two sides couldn't be separated after a goalless 120 minutes of playing time.

In the ensuing penalty shootout, Rapinoe blazed her spot kick over the crossbar. Explaining her chuckle after the important penalty miss, she said (via People):

“I mean this is like a sick joke. For me personally, this is dark comedy, that I missed a penalty. That's why I had that smile on my face. I mean, honestly, I can't remember the last time I missed."

In the end, the USWNT suffered a 5-4 loss and were sent crashing out of the tournament. The 38-year-old also announced her retirement after finishing the upcoming 2023 National Women’s Soccer League season.