Argentina were done. Down 2-0 with 15 minutes left, looking every bit like a defending champion about to be humiliated by a team making its round of 16 debut. Then Lionel Messi did what Lionel Messi does.
Three goals in the final 12 minutes—including a Messi assist, a Messi goal, and an Enzo Fernandez header in the second minute of stoppage time—completed the most stunning comeback in FIFA World Cup knockout history. Argentina beat Egypt 3-2 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to advance to the quarterfinals, becoming the first team in World Cup history to win a knockout match in regulation time after trailing by two goals as late as the 75th minute.
“This is a phenomenal group that never gives up,” Fernandez said. “Four years have passed since Qatar, and we’ve come to enjoy another World Cup—and we want to win it again. That’s what we’re aiming for.”
Argentina face Switzerland in the quarterfinals in Kansas City, Missouri on Saturday, still alive in their bid to become the first back-to-back World Cup champions since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
Egypt’s Dream Almost Came True
Egypt deserved better. The record seven-time African champions made history just by reaching the round of 16 for the first time, and for 79 minutes on Tuesday night, they looked every bit capable of ending Argentina’s title defence.
Yasser Ibrahim headed in the opener in the 15th minute, getting ahead of Lisandro Martinez to meet Marwan Attia’s cross and guide it into the bottom corner. When Messi had the chance to immediately level from the penalty spot moments later—after Haissem Hassan tripped Nicolas Tagliafico in the box—goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir dived left to block the shot. Egypt then survived practically everything that followed to stay ahead: a Lionel Messi shot, a Messi penalty, a Messi post strike later in the half, and a Julian Alvarez attempt from close range thanks to the brilliance of Shobeir.
The second goal came in the 67th minute. Egypt thought they had already doubled their lead when Mostafa Zico finished off a sweeping attack in the second half, but VAR ruled out the celebration after confirming a foul earlier in the move. The reprieve lasted minutes. Zico broke clear again on the counterattack and this time the goal stood. Egypt led 2-0. Argentina looked finished.
Lionel Messi Rescues the Champions
Cristian Romero pulled one back in the 79th minute from a Lionel Messi assist. Four minutes later, Messi scored himself to make it 2-2—his goal in a record ninth consecutive World Cup match, his 13th in that extraordinary streak dating to Argentina’s title run in 2022.
Then Fernandez headed home in the second minute of stoppage time, and it was over. The comeback no one believed was coming had arrived.
“Honestly, I’m just so happy we made it through and about the way we did it,” Messi said. “Things got tough at 2-0, so it was incredibly exciting to turn it around once again. We suffered a lot, but that’s the World Cup for you: every match is playing out the same way, everything is so evenly matched. But as always, this group never gives up and keeps trying until the very end.”
Messi’s goal was his eighth of this tournament—putting him one clear of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race—and gave him a two-goal lead over Mbappe on the all-time World Cup career scoring leaderboard.
Emotional Argentina
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni could barely find words after the final whistle.
“I’m so emotional,” Scaloni said. “What a group of players, brother.”
The emotion was shared in the Argentine dressing room. Lautaro Martinez, reflecting on a 39-year-old Messi playing what is almost certainly his final World Cup, said what everyone on the pitch was feeling.
“Seeing him get emotional was moving too,” Martinez said. “I told him right there on the pitch to enjoy the moment because he deserved it and that we would keep giving our all for ourselves—but above all for him, since this is his last World Cup and he has given us so much.”
Argentina are through. Messi lives to fight another day. And the defending champions, written off at 2-0 in the 75th minute, are still standing.
