Atlanta: Defending champions Argentina produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of the FIFA World Cup 2026, overturning a two-goal deficit to defeat Egypt 3-2 in a pulsating Round of 16 clash at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday.
With their World Cup title defence hanging by a thread, Lionel Messi once again delivered when it mattered most, inspiring an unforgettable late revival that sent Argentina into the quarterfinals.
Egypt looked destined for one of the greatest victories in their football history after Yasser Ibrahim opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a powerful header before Mostafa Ziko doubled the advantage in the 67th minute, leaving the reigning champions stunned.
Argentina struggled to find their rhythm for much of the contest and even saw Messi denied from the penalty spot earlier in the match as Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed Shobeir produced a crucial save.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically during the closing stages.
Cristian Romero sparked the comeback in the 79th minute by heading home to reduce the deficit and breathe life back into Argentina’s challenge.
Only four minutes later, Messi took centre stage. The Argentine captain latched onto a loose ball inside the penalty area and fired a left-footed effort that squeezed through Shobeir’s hands, struck the crossbar and bounced over the line to level the scores at 2-2, sending the stadium into celebration.
The equaliser marked Messi’s eighth goal of the tournament, moving him to the top of the Golden Boot standings.
With stoppage time ticking away and extra time seemingly inevitable, Argentina struck the decisive blow.
Following an Egyptian attack that broke down, Lautaro Martinez led a swift counterattack before delivering an inch-perfect cross into the penalty area. Enzo Fernandez timed his leap to perfection, guiding a superb header into the far corner in the second minute of added time to complete one of the greatest World Cup comebacks in recent memory.
Egypt appealed for a foul during the build-up, but after protests that resulted in a member of their coaching staff being shown a red card, the goal was allowed to stand.
The final whistle confirmed a remarkable turnaround as emotional scenes unfolded on the pitch, with Messi visibly moved to tears while celebrating with his teammates.
At 39 years of age, the Argentine legend kept alive his dream of retaining the World Cup, while Egypt were left heartbroken after seeing a famous victory slip away in the closing moments.
Argentina now advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals, where their pursuit of back-to-back world titles continues after one of the tournament’s most memorable matches.
