Messi in tears became the defining image of Argentina’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt as the defending champions produced a remarkable late comeback to book their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The emotional scenes unfolded after the final whistle at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday, where Argentina overturned a two-goal deficit in the closing stages of the Round of 16 clash to keep their title defence alive.
Lionel Messi, who had earlier missed a penalty while Argentina trailed 1-0, looked devastated for much of the encounter as Egypt appeared destined to cause one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Egypt strengthened their grip on the contest after goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Zico handed the African side a 2-0 advantage with only 15 minutes remaining.
However, Argentina mounted a dramatic fightback that completely changed the outcome of the match.
Cristian Romero ignited the comeback in the 79th minute, heading home to reduce the deficit and restore hope for the South American giants.
Messi then stepped up when his team needed him most, scoring the equaliser in the 85th minute with a composed finish after recovering from his earlier penalty miss.
With the game heading towards extra time, Lautaro Martínez delivered a cross into the box, where Enzo Fernández rose highest to head home the winning goal deep into stoppage time.
As soon as the referee signalled the end of the match, Messi in tears quickly became the talking point across social media.
Videos shared online showed the Argentina captain pumping his fists before breaking down in emotion. He briefly covered his face before teammates rushed towards him to celebrate the unforgettable victory.
The emotional reaction reflected the intensity of a contest that saw Argentina come within minutes of crashing out of the World Cup before producing one of the competition’s most memorable recoveries.
Despite his missed penalty, Messi played a decisive role in Argentina’s revival. In addition to finding the net, he also registered an assist, once again proving influential on the biggest stage.
The goal further extended the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s remarkable record by scoring in nine consecutive FIFA World Cup tournaments, adding another milestone to his legendary international career.
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Egypt, meanwhile, will leave the competition with plenty of pride after pushing the reigning world champions to the limit.
Their disciplined display and clinical finishing had placed them in a commanding position before Argentina’s late surge turned the contest around.
The victory sends Argentina into the quarter-finals, where they will continue their quest to retain the World Cup trophy, while the emotional image of Messi in tears is likely to remain one of the standout moments of the 2026 tournament.
