Argentina produced a dramatic late comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 and book their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after another thrilling knockout-stage encounter.
The reigning world champions looked on course for a shock exit after falling two goals behind, but a remarkable fightback in the closing stages kept their hopes of retaining the World Cup alive.
Egypt Stun Defending Champions
Egypt made the perfect start and threatened one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico handed the Pharaohs a deserved 2-0 lead, leaving Lionel Scaloni’s side facing an early elimination from the competition.
Argentina had already survived one major scare in the Round of 32 after needing extra time to overcome Cape Verde, and another upset appeared to be on the cards.
Lionel Messi Inspires Argentina Fightback
Cristian Romero gave Argentina hope when he headed home with just 11 minutes remaining to halve the deficit.
Moments later, captain Lionel Messi made amends for missing a first-half penalty in Atlanta by firing home the equaliser with five minutes left on the clock, sparking wild celebrations among the Argentine supporters.
The goal shifted all of the momentum in Argentina’s favour as they pushed relentlessly for a winner.
Enzo Fernandez Completes Incredible Comeback
Argentina’s dramatic turnaround was completed deep into stoppage time when Enzo Fernandez headed home Lautaro Martinez’s cross to seal a memorable 3-2 victory.
The late winner completed one of the most remarkable comebacks of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and sent the defending champions through to the last eight.
Argentina Await Quarter-Final Opponents
The victory means Argentina advance to the World Cup quarter-finals, where they will face either Colombia or Switzerland for a place in the semi-finals.
While Egypt’s dream run comes to a heartbreaking end, Argentina’s resilience once again demonstrated why they remain among the favourites to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy for a second consecutive tournament.