ATLANTA — Lionel Messi delivered another masterpiece as Argentina secured a thrilling 3‑2 comeback victory over Egypt, clinching a spot in the 2026 World Cup quarter‑finals on Tuesday night.
After Egypt surged into a 2‑0 lead through Yasser Ibrahim’s header and Mostafa Zico’s low‑cross finish, the Albiceleste captain ignited a monumental turnaround. In the final ten minutes, Messi set up the first Argentine goal, struck a powerful equalizer in the 84th minute to level the contest, and then orchestrated Enzo Fernández’s winner just seconds into stoppage time. Three goals in an eleven‑minute span lifted Argentina past their opponents and into the knockout stage.
His 84th‑minute strike ignited the home crowd, prompting the relentless “Messi, Messi” chant that has become a hallmark of his tournament performances. Earlier, Messi missed a first‑half penalty, his second miss of the World Cup, curling the spot‑kick wide and allowing Mostafa Shoubir to keep Egypt ahead.
Silence fell across the stadium until supporters burst into a legendary chant dedicated to the Argentine icon, underscoring his central role in the team’s fortunes.
Manager Lionel Scaloni praised his squad’s resilience. “When things aren’t going your way, there isn’t just one way to win. It takes grit, intensity, guts and the spirit we carry with us. The team has all of that. These guys always bring that extra measure of spirit, drive and refusal to lose,” Scaloni said — Becherano.
Messi to the rescue yet again
When the match appeared sewn up for Egypt, Argentina rallied in the last fifteen minutes. Messi delivered a pinpoint cross that found Cristian Romero, whose header leveled the score before Messi himself struck a fierce shot that rattled the crossbar and slipped into the net, knotting the game at 2‑2. The Argentine captain’s involvement culminated in the decisive play that set up Fernández’s unstoppable finish, securing a 3‑2 victory.
At 39, Messi continues to dominate the tournament, now boasting eight goals and leading the Golden Boot race. When the final whistle blew in Atlanta, Messi was in tears — Ogden. Tears of relief more than joy, but his World Cup ride goes on.
Egypt and Salah so good — and so unlucky
Mohamed Salah was pivotal for Egypt, providing the assist for Zico’s early strike and creating chances that threatened Argentina’s defense. A first‑half effort that should have been the opener was harshly nullified by VAR after a minor foul on Lisandro Martínez, a decision that sparked fury from the Egyptian camp. Despite their valiant effort, the hosts could not overcome Argentina’s late resurgence.
The VAR mission creep continues, this time to Egypt’s detriment
The nightmarish VAR involvement continued when Zico’s legitimate goal was reviewed for a challenge on Martínez that occurred well upstream in Egypt’s half. The call to examine Marawan Attia’s minimal contact was widely criticized as over‑reaching. Further controversy arose when Alexis Mac Allister’s clear shirt‑pull on an Egyptian attacker went unreviewed, even though the incident was more consequential than the one that triggered the earlier check.
The inconsistent application of VAR left Egypt demanding answers, a sentiment echoed throughout the post‑match analysis.
Shoubir’s valiant effort ultimately in vain
Mostafa Shoubir produced a man‑of‑the‑match performance, denying Argentina on multiple occasions. He saved Messi’s penalty, stopped a point‑blank effort, and made several crucial reflexes to keep Egypt in contention. “Without Shoubir, this game could have gone very differently,” noted the broadcast analyst — Becherano.
His heroics placed him among the tournament’s top keepers, comparable to other standout performances from Curacao’s Eloy Room, Cape Verde’s Vozinha, and his own outstanding saves.
