Read 3 minutesUpdated: 8 July 2026 12:51 AM IST
Lionel Messi once again delivered when Argentina needed him most. Messi scored a goal and an assist for Argentina as the defending champions rallied from a 0-2 deficit against Egypt 3-2 at the Atlanta Stadium on Tuesday. The victory maintained Argentina’s title defense as the South American giants advanced to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
This is the first time Argentina have overturned a two-goal deficit in a World Cup match. And that came thanks to plenty of Messi magic. After 78 minutes in their last 16 match against Egypt at the Atlanta Stadium, Argentina had a leg out. By then, Messi had missed the penalty. It seemed to be a rare day off for the maestro.
The scoreline then became 0-2 to 2-2 in the space of just four minutes, with a 92nd-minute winner sending Argentina through to the quarter-finals. Messi opened the scoring with a delightful cross into Egypt’s box headed by Christian Romero. Four minutes later, Messi himself put the ball into Egypt’s net. And just when the match looked destined for extra-time, Enzo Fernandes’ header in the 92nd minute gave Argentina the winner.
Thanks to the goal, Messi once again leads the race for the Golden Boot with his 8th goal of the current competition, one ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland, whose teams also reached the quarter-finals. Messi has now played nine consecutive World Cup matches.
Messi’s goal and assist came just hours after Cristiano Ronaldo failed to inspire a similar performance as Portugal lost to Spain. Argentina’s bitter continental rivals Brazil were also sent home by Norway, with Vinicius Junior and Neymar, who came on as a substitute and scored a penalty, unable to make up for the deficit. After the defeat, Ronaldo confirmed that he had played his last match for Portugal while Neymar called time on his international career for five-time champions Brazil. But the juggling act of Messi and Argentina paid off.
Argentina were behind in the 15th minute after Yasser Ibrahim’s header. Argentina could have equalized when Messi converted from the penalty spot. But his spot kick was saved by goalkeeper Mostafa Shober.
In the second half, Egypt’s Mostafa Zico put the ball into the Argentina net and it was ruled offside after a VAR check. But just 10 minutes later, Zico doubled Egypt’s lead by slotting the ball into the net. The decision was not withdrawn this time either. The goal sealed Egypt’s first FIFA World Cup quarter-final berth.
But Messi had different ideas.