Lionel Messi was left crying tears of joy and sheer relief after inspiring Argentina to one of the greatest World Cup comebacks of all time. Arguably the best footballer in history was just 11 minutes away from seeing his illustrious career on the sport's grandest stage end with a shock last-16 defeat by Egypt, who led 2-0 in Atlanta on Tuesday thanks to goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico - named after the Brazilian legend.
Messi Leads Stunning Fightback
However, Messi simply would not allow Argentina's defence of their third World Cup crown to end in such ignominious fashion as he led an astonishing fightback, first providing the cross from which Tottenham captain Cristian Romero headed home to halve the deficit. His own half-volley lashed in four minutes later atoned for a first-half penalty that was saved by Mostafa Shobeir - Messi becoming the first player in World Cup history excluding shootouts to miss more than one spot-kick at the same tournament, following his botched effort against Austria during the group stage.
Record-Breaking Performance
He also hit the post with a free-kick in the first half before later going on to become the first player ever to score in six consecutive World Cup matches, taking his tally for a remarkable 2026 competition to eight as he moved back one clear of star rivals Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe in the race for a maiden Golden Boot.
Dramatic Winner in Stoppage Time
The stage was set for Argentina to complete a remarkable turnaround in seven minutes of stoppage time and avoid an extra half an hour, with Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez duly obliging with an unstoppable header from Lautaro Martinez's cross to spark wild scenes of celebration.
