Lionel Messi stood in the centre of Atlanta Stadium, weeping in the arms of his team-mates, after engineering one of the most breathtaking comebacks in World Cup history to keep Argentina's title defence alive.
The 39-year-old had been caught on the big screens staring into the void as Argentina trailed Egypt 2-0 with fewer than 20 minutes remaining — a sight that, minutes earlier, looked like the beginning of the end for the holders.
Instead, Argentina launched a three-goal blitz inside 14 minutes to overturn the deficit and send their supporters — who remained long after the final whistle, singing and drumming in full voice — into delirium.
From the canvas to the clouds
Egypt had built their lead through Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico, the latter having an earlier strike ruled out by VAR for a foul at the other end of the pitch. Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir was outstanding, even saving a first-half Messi penalty — the fourth missed spot-kick of the great man's World Cup career and his second in a single tournament, making him the only player to achieve that unwanted record excluding shootouts.
But Messi, even at walking pace, has a way of bending games to his will. With 11 minutes left, he delivered a cross for Cristiano Romero to head home and ignite the comeback. Four minutes and 18 seconds later, a left-footed thunderbolt flew past Shobeir and cannoned in off the bar. Egypt, who had given everything, finally succumbed to Enzo Fernandez's stoppage-time header — the most heartbreaking of exits.
Statistical service Opta calculated that Argentina's chances of winning at the moment Romero scored stood at just 0.6 percent. This was also the latest point in a World Cup match that any team had ever trailed by two goals and recovered to win without extra time.
Records tumbling for the maestro
Messi became the first player in World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout-phase matches and now has eight goals at this tournament alone — the most by any player through five games since West Germany's Gerd Muller struck 10 in Mexico in 1970. Across his past nine World Cup matches, he has contributed to 16 goals, with 13 goals and three assists.
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, present in Atlanta for BBC Radio 5 Live, captured the mood perfectly:
