Argentina’s dramatic comeback against Egypt sparked emotional scenes both on and off the pitch, including a tear. Lionel Messijubilant teammates and euphoric fans in Buenos Aires celebrating one of the biggest breakouts of 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 his teammates hoisting the captain in the air, and wild dressing room scenes filled with dancing, singing and showers of water, the victory was as much about relief as football.
Messi’s tears, dressing room party capture Argentina’s emotions
Argentina’s journey through the match was an emotional roller coaster. At 2-0 in the 67th minute, elimination seemed inevitable. What followed was an amazing revival as Cristian Romero, Messi and Enzo Fernandez all found the net within 13 minutes to seal a remarkable comeback.The final whistle triggered months of emotion. Messi was seen shedding tears of joy as his teammates hugged him before hoisting the captain onto his shoulders. Many players also failed on the field after surviving one of the toughest tests of their title defense.The celebrations continued long after the match on the road. Players danced, sang at the top of their voices, waved shirts in the air and splashed water on each other in scenes that reflected the magnitude of the leak. Messi, wearing a relieved smile, watched his teammates 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 colors with everything they had.
The incredible comeback keeps the World Cup dream alive
Egypt had stunned Argentina earlier when Yasser Ibrahim headed home from Marwan Attia’s corner in the 15th minute. Messi missed from the penalty spot as goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir produced a string of outstanding saves, even denying Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez before the captain hit the crossbar with a free-kick.The Pharaohs looked to have sealed the contest when Mostafa Ziko finished off a quick counter-attack 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 leveled with a thunderous strike four minutes later. In stoppage time, Fernandez calmly slotted into the bottom corner to complete an extraordinary 3-2 turnaround.The dramatic victory set up a quarter-final showdown with Switzerland on July 12, while celebrations spread far beyond the stadium, with incredible scenes unfolding in Buenos Aires as supporters took to the streets to celebrate another unforgettable World Cup night.