Argentina produced one of the most dramatic comebacks in FIFA World Cup history, fighting back from two goals down to defeat Egypt 3-2 and secure a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals.
Egypt dominated much of the contest and stunned the defending champions with an early opener from Yasser Ibrahim in the 15th minute before Mostafa Zico doubled the lead in the 57th. Egypt even found the net for a third time, but the goal was ruled out.
With elimination looming, Argentina finally found its breakthrough in the 79th minute when Cristian Romero headed home to ignite hopes of an unlikely comeback.
Just five minutes later, Lionel Messi once again delivered on football’s biggest stage, calmly scoring the equalizer in the 84th minute to rescue the defending champions from the brink of a shock exit.
As the match entered stoppage time, Enzo Fernández completed the turnaround with a powerful header in the 90+3rd minute, sealing a remarkable 3-2 victory and sending Argentina into the last eight.
The victory not only preserved Argentina’s title defense but also reinforced Messi’s reputation for delivering in the game’s defining moments. For Egypt, however, the defeat was heartbreaking after surrendering a two-goal advantage and falling just minutes short of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.
