Defending champions Argentina, led by captain Lionel Messi, booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals on Tuesday after defeating Egypt 3-2 in a thrilling Round-of-16 clash. The match produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of the tournament, with Argentina scoring three goals in the final 14 minutes.
Egypt made a confident start and looked set for a famous victory after taking a 2-0 lead. Yasser Ibrahim opened the scoring in the 15th minute before Mostafa Zico doubled the advantage in the 67th minute. However, Argentina responded brilliantly in the closing stages to turn the game around.
Argentina’s Stunning Comeback
Despite trailing by two goals, the Messi-led side refused to give up and produced a remarkable late rally to secure a place in the last eight.
How the comeback unfolded:
- 79th minute: Cristian Romero headed home to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
- 83rd minute: Lionel Messi finished off a brilliant move to equalise at 2-2.
- 90+6 minute: Enzo Fernández fired home a dramatic stoppage-time winner, completing Argentina’s sensational comeback.
Messi Outshines Ronaldo Again
With Portugal eliminated from the tournament, the long-running debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has resurfaced. Messi, who already has a FIFA World Cup title to his name, further strengthened his legacy with another outstanding campaign.
Messi finished as the joint-highest scorer of the 2026 World Cup with seven goals, while Ronaldo has scored a combined four goals across the 2022 and 2026 FIFA World Cups.
Argentina Maintains Perfect Record Against Egypt
The match marked Argentina’s first meeting with Egypt in 18 years. The two nations have now faced each other twice, with Argentina winning both encounters. Their previous meeting came in an international friendly on March 26, 2008, when Argentina secured a 2-0 victory.
Lionel Messi Sets New World Cup Records
Messi added several milestones to his illustrious career during the victory:
- Became the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 21 goals.
- Extended his World Cup record to 9 assists, the most by any player.
- Became the first player to score in the knockout stages of six consecutive FIFA World Cups.