Messi Sparks Miraculous Comeback as Argentina Escape Egypt Scare in Thrilling Turnaround

In the closing 10 minutes of the match, Argentina overturned a 2–0 deficit to claim a dramatic 3–2 victory over Egypt in the 2026 World Cup round of 16, narrowly avoiding what could have been the greatest upset in tournament history at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

An energetic Egypt side came out firing and caught Argentina off guard as Yasser Ibrahim glanced home a header from Marwan Ateya's inviting cross in the 15th minute.

It appeared Argentina would restore order when Lionel Messi stepped up to convert a penalty, after Nicolás Tagliafico was brought down inside the box. However, the tournament's joint-top scorer could only add to his record for the most missed penalties in World Cup history (4), as Mostafa Shobeir pushed away a telegraphed effort.

Alexis Mac Allister and Julián Alvarez raised the world champions' xG before the interval, but both failed to convert promising opportunities.

After the break, Egypt delivered an outstanding counter-attacking display with disciplined defending, before slicing through Argentina on the transition. Ziko thought he had doubled his country's lead before his effort was disallowed for a foul in the build-up, but the man sharing a name with a Brazilian icon did find the net shortly after another sweeping end-to-end move.

With time running out and the prospect of humiliation looming, Argentina finally sparked to life. Cristian Romero headed one in, before Messi thundered in the equalizer. Egyptian hopes were shattered in stoppage time as Enzo Fernández's header confirmed Argentina's passage to the quarterfinals.

A breathtaking finale papered over a largely disappointing first 75 minutes for Lionel Scaloni's side, who will rightfully celebrate, but must acknowledge there is significant improvement required.

The One Thing We Can't Ignore

After a dominant group stage and a favorable draw, Argentina appeared well-positioned to reach another World Cup final. Yet in the knockout rounds so far, we have witnessed two very different Argentinas.

Having scraped through against Cabo Verde, Lionel Scaloni's men nearly came unstuck against the disciplined, collective effort of Egypt.

A slow start cost Argentina in Atlanta, with the Pharaohs winning tackles, dictating the tempo and using wide pace to expose the reigning champions' vulnerabilities before taking a stunning lead.

The last time Argentina conceded first at a World Cup was in their group stage loss to Saudi Arabia in 2022. The last time they trailed at halftime? All the way back in 2010, when Diego Maradona was still at the helm.

Argentina fashioned plenty of chances—most notably Messi's penalty miss—but had run into a side determined to deliver the performance of their lives.

The other Argentina, which emerged on 79 minutes, was breathtaking and clinical. The comeback—one destined to become part of World Cup folklore—demonstrates this is a team with an air of inevitability, capable of conjuring moments of brilliance when it matters most.

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Argentina Player Ratings vs. Egypt (4-1–2–1-2)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Emiliano Martínez—5.7: Was helpless for both goals and had virtually nothing to do throughout, finishing with zero saves.

RB: Nahuel Molina—7.0: Contributed little in attack and was equally troubled defensively before being substituted off.

CB: Cristian Romero—8.1: Delivered when it counted most, powering in his header to ignite the comeback.

CB: Lisandro Martínez—7.6: Was beaten in the air for Egypt's opener and appeared unaware of Zico's run into the box for the second.

LB: Nicolás Tagliafico—6.9: Won the penalty with a determined forward run, but was repeatedly exposed by Haissem Hassan's pace.

DM: Leandro Paredes—6.9: The switch to a diamond formation saw Paredes deployed as a holding midfielder, where he accumulated the most touches of any player on the field (129).

CM: Rodrigo De Paul—7.1: Failed to make an impact before being withdrawn midway through the second half.

CM: Alexis Mac Allister—7.0: Given more freedom to push forward. Should arguably have converted a header shortly after the first hydration break.

AM: Enzo Fernández—8.2: Managed neither a chance created nor a shot on goal before producing what will surely become an iconic winning moment in Argentine football history.

ST: Lionel Messi—8.7: Missed his fourth World Cup penalty to extend his own unwanted record, but more than atoned with a late equalizer hammered into the roof of the net, along with an assist.

ST: Julián Alvarez—6.8: Drew a remarkable save from Mostafa Shobeir in the first half, though a better-angled shot from ten yards might have made it unstoppable.

SUB: Nicolas González (66' for Nicolás Tagliafico)—6.7: Had a significant impact on Argentina's midfield balance upon entering the game.

SUB: Lautaro Martínez (66' for Rodrigo De Paul)—7.1: Contributed an assist during the comeback and likely reclaimed his starting berth alongside Messi with his cameo.

SUB: Gonzalo Montiel (73' for Nahuel Molina)—7.1: Another inspired substitution who chipped in with an assist.

SUB: Nicolás Otameni (90' for Julián Alvarez)—N/A

SUB: Facundo Medina (90' for X)—N/A

Subs not used: Gerónimo Rulli (GK), Juan Musso (GK), Marcos Senesi, Nicolás Otamendi, Exequiel Palacios, Giovani Lo Celso, Guiliano Simeone, Nico Paz, Thiago Almada, Valentín Barco, José Manuel López.

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Argentina's Stunning Comeback

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