Argentina’s dramatic comeback against Egypt sparked emotional scenes on and off the pitch and left the crowd in tears. Lionel Messijubilant teammates and ecstatic fans celebrate one of the greatest escapes of 2026 in Buenos Aires fifa world cup.Celebrations broke out after the defending champions overturned a two-goal deficit in the final 13 minutes to beat Egypt 3-2 in the last 16 on Tuesday. From Messi breaking down in tears, to his teammates lifting their captain into the air, to the wild scenes of dancing, singing and water showers in the dressing room, this victory was as much about relief as it was football.
Messi’s tears, locker room party capture Argentinian’s emotions
Argentina were on an emotional roller coaster during the game. In the 67th minute, trailing 0-2, elimination seemed inevitable. What followed was a surprising revival, with Cristian Romero, Messi and Enzo Fernandez all scoring within 13 minutes to complete a remarkable comeback.The final whistle released months of emotion. Messi cried tears of joy as teammates hugged him before lifting their captain over their shoulders. Several players also broke down on the pitch after going through one of the toughest tests of their title defense.After the game, the celebrations in the locker room continued for a long time. Players danced, sang loudly, waved their shirts in the air and splashed water on each other in scenes that reflected the scale of the escape. A relieved smile appeared on Messi’s face, watching his teammates soak in this unforgettable moment.The Argentine Football Association also shared a celebration video, thanking the players for their fighting spirit and determination to never give up, and praising the team for doing their best to defend the national color.
Incredible comeback keeps World Cup dream alive
Egypt defeated Argentina early in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim scored with a header from Marwan Attiyah’s corner kick. Messi then missed a penalty, with goalkeeper Mustafa Schobel making a series of fine saves to keep out Alexis McAllister and Julian Alvarez before the captain’s free-kick hit the crossbar.The Pharaohs looked set to seal the win when Mostafa Zico made it 2-0 in the 67th minute with a quick counterattack, courtesy of good work from Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan.But Argentina refused to surrender. Romero headed Messi’s free kick in the 79th minute and the captain equalized four minutes later with a thunderous strike. In stoppage time, Fernandez calmly shot into the bottom corner, completing a wonderful reversal of 3-2.The dramatic victory set the stage for a quarter-final tie with Switzerland on July 12, and celebrations spread far beyond the stadium, with incredible scenes playing out across Buenos Aires as supporters took to the streets to celebrate another unforgettable World Cup night.
