Buenos Aires: Lionel Messi admitted he felt he had let Argentina down after missing a first-half penalty during their dramatic FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 comeback victory against Egypt. The Argentina captain, however, found redemption by scoring the equaliser as the defending champions recovered from a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 and secure their place in the quarter-finals.
Messi’s penalty miss was a major turning point in the first half as Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir produced a brilliant save to deny the Argentine superstar. It was the fourth non-shootout penalty missed by Messi in FIFA World Cup history, the most by any player in the competition.
Despite the setback, Argentina showed their trademark fighting spirit and produced a remarkable turnaround in the final stages of the match.
Messi admits penalty miss affected him emotionally
Speaking after the match, Messi revealed that the missed penalty left him frustrated and disappointed because he felt he had failed his teammates during an important moment.
“I was very angry about the missed penalty, about how I kicked it. I felt that at an important moment I had let the group down,” Messi said.
However, the Argentina captain was thankful that he was able to make an impact later in the game. He said he believed he was given another opportunity to help his team after the difficult moment.
“Luckily, God once again had something special in store for me at the end. I was able to score the equalising goal, a very big relief and an enormous happiness for us,” he added.
Messi also praised the mentality of his teammates, highlighting Argentina’s ability to fight until the final whistle.
“This is a team that competes, that always gives their all, that never gives up, never lowers its arms,” he said.
Egypt stun Argentina with strong start
Egypt produced one of the biggest challenges Argentina have faced in the tournament by taking control of the match early.
The Pharaohs opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim headed in from Marwan Attia’s corner. The goal shocked Argentina and gave Egypt confidence against the reigning champions.
Argentina had an immediate chance to respond after Nicolas Tagliafico was brought down inside the penalty area. However, Messi’s penalty was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, allowing Egypt to maintain their advantage.
Shobeir continued to frustrate Argentina with excellent saves throughout the match. He denied attempts from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez, while Messi also hit the crossbar with a free-kick as Egypt entered half-time with a 1-0 lead.
VAR controversy adds drama to encounter
The second half brought more drama when Egypt believed they had doubled their lead through Mostafa Ziko. However, after a VAR review, the goal was ruled out due to a foul in the build-up.
Egypt did not lose momentum and eventually scored their second goal in the 67th minute. Ziko completed a fast counter-attack after excellent work from Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan, putting Egypt 2-0 ahead.
At that stage, Argentina were facing elimination, but the team’s experience and attacking quality helped them launch a stunning comeback.
Argentina complete unforgettable comeback
Argentina responded by increasing their attacking pressure and introducing more attacking options. Their persistence paid off in the 79th minute when Cristian Romero headed in Messi’s free-kick to reduce the deficit.
Only four minutes later, Messi produced the moment that changed the match. The Argentina captain received the ball on the edge of the box and struck a powerful effort that found the net after touching the goalkeeper’s gloves and the underside of the crossbar.
The equaliser completely changed the momentum of the contest. Egypt, who had defended brilliantly for most of the match, struggled to deal with Argentina’s renewed confidence.
With extra time approaching, Argentina completed their incredible comeback in stoppage time. A loose ball fell to Enzo Fernandez outside the penalty area, and the midfielder calmly finished into the bottom corner to seal a 3-2 victory.
Argentina continue World Cup title defence
The win sent Argentina into the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026, keeping their hopes alive of defending the trophy they won in 2022.
The match once again highlighted Argentina’s resilience under pressure and Messi’s ability to influence major moments despite setbacks. Although Egypt left the tournament disappointed, their performance earned widespread praise after pushing one of the world’s strongest teams to the limit.
Argentina will now prepare for their quarter-final clash against the winner of the Round of 16 match between Switzerland and Colombia. The victory over Egypt will be remembered as one of the most dramatic comebacks of the tournament.
Conclusion
Lionel Messi’s penalty miss briefly put Argentina under pressure, but his equaliser and the team’s late surge helped them complete a memorable comeback against Egypt. The victory showed the champions’ determination and kept their World Cup dream alive.