▲ Lionel Messi of Argentina is tossed into the air by his teammates after their Round of 16 victory against Egypt in the World Cup.
Defending champion Argentina has advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America after staging a miraculous comeback.
In the Round of 16 match held in Atlanta, USA, Argentina trailed 2-0 until the 79th minute but scored three unanswered goals to secure a 3-2 victory.
Lionel Messi, often called the "God of Football," led the win with a stellar performance, recording one goal and one assist, including setting up his teammate's goal and scoring the equalizer himself.
Argentina will face the winner of the Round of 16 match between Colombia and Switzerland in the quarterfinals on July 12.
Argentina fell behind early, conceding the opening goal to Egypt's Ibrahim in the 15th minute.
In the 21st minute, Messi had a chance to equalize from a penalty kick, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper.
Having missed his second penalty of the tournament following the group stage match against Austria, Messi faced further frustration in the 31st minute when his sharp left-footed free kick struck the goalpost.
Argentina was pushed to the brink after conceding a second goal to Egypt's Zizo in the 67th minute, trailing 2-0. In this desperate situation, it was Messi who saved the team.
In the 79th minute, Messi provided a precise left-footed cross to assist Romero's header, sparking the comeback. Four minutes later, he scored the equalizer himself.
He found the back of the net with a left-footed volley during a scramble in front of the goal.
With this goal, Messi has now scored in all five matches of the tournament, bringing his tally to 8 goals. He has moved into sole possession of the lead in the Golden Boot race, one goal ahead of Mbappe and Haaland, and extended his record for most World Cup goals by an individual to 21.
Fueled by Messi's momentum, Argentina completed their dramatic comeback with a winning goal from Fernandez during second-half stoppage time.
Having dramatically turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 victory to reach the quarterfinals, Argentina continues its quest for a second consecutive World Cup title.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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