Argentina’s dramatic comeback against Egypt sparked emotional scenes both on and off the pitch, with a tearful Lionel Messi, jubilant teammates and euphoric fans in Buenos Aires celebrating one of the greatest escapes of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.After overturning a two-goal deficit in the final 13 minutes to defeat Egypt 3-2 in their Round of 16 clash on Tuesday, the reigning world champions erupted in celebration. From Messi breaking down in tears to teammates lifting the captain into the air, and wild dressing-room scenes filled with dancing, singing and water showers, the victory was as much about relief as it was about football.
Messi’s tears, dressing-room party capture Argentina’s emotions
Argentina’s journey over the course of the match was an emotional rollercoaster. At 2-0 down in the 67th minute, elimination appeared inevitable. What followed was an astonishing revival as Cristian Romero, Messi and Enzo Fernandez all found the net within 13 minutes to script a remarkable comeback.The final whistle unleashed months’ worth of emotions. Messi was seen shedding tears of joy as teammates embraced him before lifting the captain high above their shoulders. Several players also broke down on the pitch after surviving one of the toughest tests of their title defence.The celebrations continued long after the match inside the dressing room. Players danced, sang at the top of their voices, waved shirts in the air and splashed water on one another in scenes that reflected the magnitude of the escape. Messi, wearing a relieved smile, watched his teammates soak in the unforgettable moment.The Argentine Football Association also shared a video of the celebrations, thanking the players for their fighting spirit and determination to never give up while praising the team for defending the national colours with everything they had.
Incredible comeback keeps World Cup dream alive
Egypt had stunned Argentina early when Yasser Ibrahim headed home from Marwan Attia’s corner in the 15th minute. Messi then missed from the penalty spot as goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir produced a series of outstanding saves, also denying Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez before the captain struck the crossbar with a free-kick.The Pharaohs looked to have sealed the contest when Mostafa Ziko finished a swift counterattack in the 67th minute to make it 2-0 after excellent work from Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan.But Argentina refused to surrender. Romero headed home Messi’s free-kick in the 79th minute before the captain levelled with a thunderous strike four minutes later. Deep into stoppage time, Fernandez calmly slotted into the bottom corner to complete an extraordinary 3-2 turnaround.The dramatic victory has set up a quarter-final showdown with Switzerland on July 12, while celebrations spread far beyond the stadium, with incredible scenes unfolding across Buenos Aires as supporters poured into the streets to celebrate another unforgettable World Cup night.
