"Nobody gives you anything at the World Cup": Messi savors the comeback against Egypt
After Argentina's stunning 3-2 comeback against Egypt, Lionel Messi reflected on how hard it is to turn around a knockout match, before breaking down in tears, overwhelmed by the intensity of the game.
Argentina
Egypt- 90'Yellow card: Haissem Hassan (Egypt)
- 90'Yellow card: Marwan Attia (Egypt)
- 90'Substitution: ↑ Zizo / ↓ Mohanad Lasheen. (Egypt)
- 90'Substitution: ↑ Nicolás Otamendi / ↓ Cristian Romero. (Argentina)
- 90'Substitution: ↑ Facundo Medina / ↓ Julián Alvarez. (Argentina)
- 90'Yellow card: Hamdi Fathy (Egypt)
- 90'Yellow card: Mostafa Shobeir (Egypt)
- 90'⚽ Goal for Argentina (Enzo Fernández)
- 90'Final score: Argentina 3 - 2 Egypt
- 83'⚽ Goal for Argentina (Lionel Messi)
- 80'Substitution: ↑ Omar Marmoush / ↓ Mostafa Zico. (Egypt)
- 79'⚽ Goal for Argentina (Cristian Romero)
- 73'Substitution: ↑ Trezeguet / ↓ Haissem Hassan because of an injury. (Egypt)
- 73'Substitution: ↑ Gonzalo Montiel / ↓ Nahuel Molina. (Argentina)
- 67'⚽ Goal for Egypt (Mostafa Zico)
- 66'Substitution: ↑ Lautaro Martínez / ↓ Rodrigo De Paul. (Argentina)
- 66'Substitution: ↑ Nico González / ↓ Nicolás Tagliafico. (Argentina)
- 45'Second half begins
- 45'Substitution: ↑ Hamdi Fathy / ↓ Emam Ashour because of an injury. (Egypt)
- 45'Half-time
- 45'Half-time
- 15'⚽ Goal for Egypt (Yasser Ibrahim)
- 0'Kick-off
- 0'Kick-off
The day after Argentina's stunning 3-2 comeback win over Egypt in the World Cup 2026 round of 16, having trailed 2-0, Lionel Messi reflected on how hard such a turnaround is: "Coming back from 2-0 down isn't easy, especially at the World Cup where nobody gives you anything for free."
The Albiceleste captain added: "These are knockout matches, nobody gives you anything. Some people underestimate certain teams because of their name, but we knew this match would never be easy."
Messi didn't just talk about it — he was central to the comeback on the pitch, setting up a goal before scoring the equalizer himself with a powerful strike in the 83rd minute, before Enzo Fernández struck the winner in stoppage time.
At the final whistle, Messi broke down in tears, overwhelmed by the difficulty of the match and the scale of his team's comeback, amid huge celebrations from teammates, staff and Argentine fans.
The Inter Miami star closed with his now-familiar line: "This group never gives up," before Argentina turned their attention to a quarter-final against Switzerland.
