Atlanta: Defending champions Argentina produced a remarkable late comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 and secure a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals, with captain Lionel Messi once again playing a decisive role in one of the tournament’s most dramatic matches.
Argentina appeared to be heading for a shock elimination after Egypt raced into a 2-0 lead through goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico. The African side looked in complete control, while Messi had earlier missed a penalty—his second spot-kick miss of the tournament—leaving the defending champions on the brink of an early exit.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the closing stages. Cristian Romero pulled one back in the 79th minute, before Messi levelled the score just four minutes later with his 21st FIFA World Cup goal, extending his record-breaking scoring streak. Deep into stoppage time, Enzo Fernández headed home the winner from a move involving Lautaro Martínez, completing an extraordinary turnaround.
Messi’s influence extended beyond his goal. Despite the missed penalty, he inspired Argentina’s revival with his leadership, creativity and relentless attacking play. At the final whistle, the 39-year-old was seen in tears, later describing the emotional moment as “a release” after coming so close to what could have been his final World Cup appearance.
The victory keeps Argentina’s hopes of defending their World Cup title alive and sets up a quarter-final clash with the winner of the Colombia vs Switzerland Round of 16 fixture. However, the match also exposed defensive vulnerabilities that coach Lionel Scaloni will be eager to address before the next knockout round.
For Egypt, the defeat was heartbreaking after a spirited display that had placed them within minutes of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. Their players protested several refereeing decisions after the match, believing they were denied two penalty claims during the closing stages.
