Lionel Messi once again etched his name into football folklore after inspiring Argentina to a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The defending champions looked destined for an early exit after Egypt raced into a 2-0 lead through Yasser Ibrahim’s first-half header and a second-half strike from Mostafa Ziko. Compounding Argentina’s misery, Messi saw a first-half penalty brilliantly saved by Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir — his second penalty miss of the tournament.
With just 11 minutes of regulation remaining, Argentina produced one of the tournament’s greatest turnarounds. Cristian Romero ignited the revival with a powerful header in the 79th minute before Messi leveled the score four minutes later with a clinical finish that took his tournament tally to eight goals. The decisive blow arrived in stoppage time, when Enzo Fernández headed home to complete the remarkable comeback and send Argentina through to the quarterfinals.
Messi Etches His Name In History As World Cup’s Greatest Goalscorer
Messi’s penalty miss made history for the wrong reasons — he became the first player ever to miss two penalties in regulation time at a single World Cup, excluding shootouts. Yet his overall influence proved decisive. The goal was his 21st at a World Cup, extending his own all-time record as the tournament’s leading men’s goalscorer, and it also drew him level with Guillermo Stábile’s 96-year-old Argentine record of eight goals in a single World Cup edition, set at the inaugural 1930 tournament.
Emotional Scenes
Messi was seen in tears after the final whistle as Argentina celebrated keeping their World Cup defense alive. Fernández, reflecting on the team’s resilience after the match, described the squad as one that never stops fighting and said the group is determined to win the title again four years on from their 2022 triumph in Qatar.
For Egypt, the defeat was cruel. The Pharaohs came within minutes of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history, driven by a strong showing from Mohamed Salah and a standout display from Shobeir between the posts. Their dream run ultimately unraveled in the face of Argentina’s late surge.
Argentina now advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the Switzerland vs. Colombia Round of 16 clash on July 11 in Kansas City, as Messi continues his pursuit of a second consecutive World Cup crown.