Lionel Messi praised Argentina’s resilience after inspiring a remarkable 3-2 comeback win over Egypt to book a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.
Messi’s Reaction to the Comeback
Argentina looked to be heading out after falling 2-0 behind, but produced a stirring fightback. Messi led the charge with a goal and an assist before Cristian Romero’s equaliser paved the way for the South Americans to complete the turnaround.
Reflecting on the victory, the Argentina captain admitted the match had pushed his side to the limit.
Messi said, “No, to be honest, I’m really happy to have qualified, and also because of how we did it. When we were 0-2 down, the game became very difficult, and it was really exciting to come back again. We suffered a lot once more, but this is the FIFA World Cup; every game is like this, and everyone is evenly matched. All in all, I’m very happy. So I’m very happy now.”
He added that the win was a relief for everyone, noting how hard it is to overturn a two‑goal deficit. “This team never gives up and always fights until the end,” Messi remarked, praising the quick equaliser by Romero and the remaining time to seal the comeback.
Speaking afterwards to Olé, Messi described the victory as one of the most emotional moments of Argentina’s campaign, calling it a relief and a catharsis. He expressed pride in fighting alongside teammates who have always shown him love.
Historic Milestones for Messi
Beyond securing Argentina’s place in the last eight, the match saw Messi rewrite the World Cup record books once again. His goal and assist took his tournament totals to 21 goals and nine assists in 31 appearances, making him the all-time leading scorer and assist provider in FIFA World Cup history.
The Argentine great now holds a two-goal advantage over Kylian Mbappé on the competition’s scoring chart, while his nine assists move him one clear of the late Diego Maradona. Messi also became the first player to score in six consecutive FIFA World Cup knockout matches after finding the net with Argentina chasing the game.
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