Lionel Messi and Argentina complete dramatic comeback against Mohamed Salah's Egypt to reach 2026 World Cup quarterfinals

Egypt thought they had secured a place in the next round, but the reigning world champions produced a late turnaround to change the outcome in the final minutes.

Argentina, led by Lionel Messi and managed by Lionel Scaloni, wrote another chapter of resilience, character and controversy on Tuesday.

Seemingly on the verge of elimination after falling two goals behind with just 11 minutes remaining, the Albiceleste produced a stunning attacking surge to defeat Egypt 3-2 and advance to the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The reigning world champions once again proved that their greatest strength is not only their talent, but also their refusal to give up.

EGYPT STUNS ARGENTINA WITH COURAGE AND DISCIPLINE

From the opening whistle, Egypt showed a clear plan: go toe-to-toe with the South Americans, regardless of their status as the defending champions. With organization, intensity and aggressive pressing, the Pharaohs disrupted Argentina's rhythm.

The surprise came in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim took advantage of a Marwan Attia cross, winning the aerial battle and heading Egypt into a 1-0 lead.

Argentina had a golden opportunity to equalize after being awarded another penalty, but goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir read Messi's effort perfectly to preserve Egypt's advantage.

Despite the setback, Argentina responded with relentless pressure. The Albiceleste created seven clear scoring chances in the first half compared to Egypt's two, showing their attacking superiority but struggling to find the finishing touch. Shobeir continued to shine, inspired by his penalty save and producing several key stops to keep the Pharaohs ahead.

ZICO, CONTROVERSY, MESSI AND A DIFFICULT ARGENTINE RESPONSE

The second half presented Argentina with its biggest challenge. Egypt dropped deeper, relied on counterattacks and found spaces to hurt the champions.

After a quick attacking transition, Mostafa Zico scored Egypt's second goal in the 57th minute. However, controversy followed as VAR ruled out the goal for a possible foul on Lisandro Martínez in the build-up. The decision sparked debate among fans and analysts.

But Egypt did not lose focus. Just minutes later, the Pharaohs struck again, with Zico finally getting his goal in the 67th minute after an assist from Haissem Hassan to make it 2-0.

It looked like Zico's redemption moment — before Argentina's unforgettable comeback began.

With time running out, Scaloni turned to his bench and Argentina found an immediate response. Cristian Romero pulled one back in the 79th minute, heading home Messi's cross and reigniting hope for the world champions.

The goal restored Argentina's confidence, and the Albiceleste increased the pressure.

AN UNFORGETTABLE COMEBACK

The equalizer arrived just four minutes later, in the 83rd minute. Messi played a key role in the attacking move, and after a chaotic sequence inside Egypt's penalty area, Argentina found the 2-2 goal to bring the match back to life.

Just when the game appeared destined for extra time, Argentina's competitive spirit took over once again.

Following an Egyptian mistake during a counterattack, Lautaro Martínez drove forward and found Enzo Fernández inside the box. The midfielder delivered a dramatic headed finish to complete a stunning three-goal comeback in just 13 minutes.

Argentina had not won an official match after falling behind since their defeat against Saudi Arabia in their opening game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The victory also reinforced their mental strength in knockout matches and secured their place in the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of Switzerland vs. Colombia.

The Albiceleste once again showed that even when they are pushed to the brink, their ability to fight back and compete until the final whistle remains intact.