Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Blake Schuster

Poland’s Wojciech Szczęsny made an actual bet with Messi VAR wouldn’t give him a penalty shot and refuses to pay up

Wojciech Szczęsny Lionel Messi Poland Fox Soccer Soccer World Cup

Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny is either fantastic at playing mind games on the pitch or the worst kind of person to make a bet with.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi would probably argue for the latter option.

During Wednesday’s Group C finale at the World Cup between the two nations, Szczęsny and Messi got tangled up in the box leading to a penalty review. The netminder was so certain the ref would find him innocent that he admitted to betting Messi 100 Euros the striker wouldn’t receive a penalty shot.

Szczęsny was wrong. Messi was awarded a PK. And Szczęsny is very open about the fact he won’t pay up.

“I told him I can bet him a 100 [euros] that [the referee] wasn’t going to give it. So I’ve lost a bet against Messi.” Szczęsny said after the match, per The Athletic’s Luke Brown.

“I don’t know if that’s allowed at the World Cup and I’m probably going to get banned for it but I don’t care right now. And I’m not going to pay him either! He doesn’t care about 100, come on.”

Considering Messi is worth over half a billion dollars — give or take a few tax scandals — of course he likely doesn’t care about an extra hundred bucks.

But it’s the principle of the matter. You make a bet, you pay up. And to make the matter even worse for Messi, Szczęsny — who seemed really confident beforehand — completely robbed him of a goal on the penalty kick.

So maybe one of the greatest goal scorers in soccer history was focused on Szczęsny holding out on him. Maybe he just missed. Either way, let this be a lesson to every player who gets too closer to Poland’s keeper: don’t bet with him.

Argentina won 2-0 as both teams advanced to the knockout stage.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Arcane creators say it'll be a long time before the next League of Legends adaptation lands on Netflix: 'We're not in production on those yet'
Arcane season 2 is almost over, but the award-winning Netflix show's creators "can't say" what they're working on next – and it's the internet's fault.
TechRadar
TechRadar
Melania and RFK Jr join forces to try to improve Trump’s diet: ‘Think fewer Big Macs and less KFC’
Incoming first lady and Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services secretary are apparently lobbying the president to make healthier choices
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
What are ‘Pink tote lid moments’? Dark TikTok trend explained
The dark trend has seen both young people and adults sharing troubling stories
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Cruel Intentions review – this generic remake of the 90s classic is utterly mindless
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe’s movie gets a melodramatic YA remake – with a pair of actors who aren’t a patch on the originals. Just dig out the original instead
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
US moves to list giraffes under Endangered Species Act for first time
Climate crisis, habitat loss and poaching have reduced its numbers – but will Trump put the kibosh on protections?
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
“Who’s The One Actor That You Hate But Everyone Else Seems To Love?” (50 Answers)
No matter how popular they are, most celebrities have haters, too. Actors are no exception. The post “Who’s The One Actor That You Hate But Everyone Else Seems To Love?” (50 Answers) first appeared on Bored Panda.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play