Argentina edge Egypt 3-2 in World Cup classic as Messi reclaims Golden Boot lead
Defending champions score three times after the 79th minute
ATLANTA – Lionel Messi produced another defining performance at the FIFA World Cup 2026 as Argentina recovered from a two-goal deficit to defeat Egypt 3-2 and book their place in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
The defending champions looked destined for a shock exit after Egypt established a commanding lead, only for Argentina to score three unanswered goals in the closing stages. The victory also saw Messi reclaim the outright lead in the adidas Golden Boot race after netting his eighth goal of the tournament.
Argentina will now face the winner of Switzerland and Colombia in the quarter-finals, while Egypt's impressive World Cup campaign came to an end after pushing the reigning champions to the brink.
???????? Argentina have qualified for the Quarter-finals!#FIFAWorldCup
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 7, 2026
Egypt strikes
Egypt stunned Argentina by taking the lead in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim headed home from a Marawan Attia delivery. It was the first time Argentina had trailed at the 2026 World Cup, immediately putting Lionel Scaloni's side under pressure.
Argentina were handed a golden opportunity to level six minutes later after Nicolás Tagliafico was brought down inside the penalty area. Messi stepped up from the spot but saw his effort brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir, who dived to his right to deny the Argentine captain.
The missed penalty continued an unusual run for Messi, who had also failed to convert from the spot against Austria earlier in the tournament. It marked his fourth missed penalty from eight attempts in World Cup matches outside penalty shootouts.
Despite Argentina dominating possession and creating further chances through Julián Álvarez and Messi, Egypt maintained their 1-0 advantage going into the break. Shoubir was outstanding throughout the first half, producing several important saves to frustrate the South American side.
VAR drama
The second half brought even more drama. Egypt believed they had doubled their advantage midway through the half when Mostafa Zico found the net, only for the goal to be ruled out after a VAR review identified a foul by Marawan Attia earlier in the move.
The decision mattered little moments later. In the 67th minute, Mohamed Salah launched a rapid counterattack before finding Haissem Hassan on the right flank. Hassan delivered a precise cross into the penalty area where Zico finished confidently to make it 2-0, restoring Egypt's two-goal cushion.
With little more than 20 minutes remaining, Argentina faced the prospect of an early exit from the tournament. Egypt's disciplined defending and Shoubir's outstanding goalkeeping appeared set to deliver one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.
Late revival
Argentina's comeback began in the 79th minute when Messi delivered a pinpoint cross into the area for Cristian Romero, whose header found the net despite Shoubir getting a hand to the ball.
Just four minutes later, Messi produced another decisive moment. The captain met the ball with a left-footed volley from the right side of the penalty area, sending his effort in off the crossbar to level the score at 2-2. The goal was his eighth of the tournament, moving him ahead of France's Kylian Mbappé and Norway's Erling Haaland, who both have seven goals, in the race for the adidas Golden Boot.
Argentina continued to press throughout seven minutes of added time and completed an extraordinary turnaround in the second minute of stoppage time. Lautaro Martínez delivered a cross into the box where Enzo Fernández rose highest to head home the winning goal and seal a remarkable 3-2 victory.
The defending champions had scored three unanswered goals from the 79th minute onwards to complete one of the most dramatic comebacks of the tournament.
Records fall
Messi's eventful evening included both disappointment and history. After missing an early penalty, he responded with a goal and an assist to inspire Argentina's revival.
His strike took him to 21 World Cup goals, extending his record tally in the competition, while also making it nine consecutive World Cup matches in which he has scored. The 39-year-old has now found the net in each of Argentina's five matches at the 2026 tournament, including a hat-trick against Algeria and a brace against Austria during the group stage.
Although the missed penalty represented an unwanted milestone, with Messi becoming the first player to miss two penalties in a single World Cup tournament, his overall contribution once again proved decisive.
For Egypt, goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir emerged as one of the standout performers despite the defeat. The shot-stopper denied Messi from the penalty spot and produced several outstanding saves to keep Argentina at bay for much of the contest. Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico also impressed with the goals that had briefly placed Egypt on the verge of a historic quarter-final appearance.
The victory continued Argentina's eventful knockout journey after they had also survived a dramatic 3-2 extra-time win over Cape Verde in the Round of 32. They now advance to a quarter-final against the winner of Switzerland and Colombia, while Egypt bow out after producing one of the most spirited performances of the FIFA World Cup 2026.