Guwahati: Defending champions Argentina produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of the FIFA World Cup 2026, overturning a two-goal deficit to defeat Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16 on Tuesday and book their place in the quarterfinals.
Egypt stunned Lionel Scaloni’s side by racing into a 2-0 lead through Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko, leaving Argentina on the brink of a shock elimination. Lionel Messi also endured a frustrating first half after seeing his penalty saved by Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir.
With time running out, Argentina launched a remarkable fightback. Cristian Romero pulled one back in the 79th minute by heading home from a Messi free-kick, reigniting hopes for the South American giants. Four minutes later, Messi found the net to level the score, capping an influential performance despite his earlier penalty miss.
The decisive moment came in second-half stoppage time when Enzo Fernández headed in from Lautaro Martínez’s cross, completing a stunning turnaround and sending Argentina into the last eight.
The victory keeps Argentina’s title defence alive and extends Messi’s quest for another World Cup triumph. The 39-year-old captain finished the match with a goal and an assist after recovering from an uncharacteristically difficult start.
Egypt, who appeared on course for one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, exited the competition despite an impressive display for much of the match. Their players protested several refereeing decisions late in the contest, including appeals for penalties that were waved away.
Argentina will face Switzerland in the quarterfinals as they continue their bid to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to retain the FIFA World Cup title.