Lionel Messi etched his name further into World Cup folklore on Wednesday, inspiring a stunning Argentina comeback from two goals down to defeat Egypt 3-2 in Atlanta and advance to the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Egypt had the defending champions on the ropes at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, holding a commanding 2-0 lead deep into the second half. The Pharaohs looked certain to pull off one of the tournament's great upsets — until Messi intervened.

Messi's magic turns the tide

With Argentina staring at elimination, Messi laid on an assist for Cristian Romero in the 79th minute to halve the deficit. He then struck himself four minutes later, dragging the Albiceleste level and sending the tie into a frantic finish.

The equaliser appeared to have set the stage for extra time, but Enzo Fernández had other ideas. The midfielder rose to head home in the second minute of stoppage time, completing one of the most dramatic turnarounds in World Cup history.

A record-breaking night for Messi

The victory means Messi has now scored or assisted in a record six consecutive World Cup knockout matches — a landmark that underlines his enduring brilliance on football's grandest stage.

It also marks the first occasion in World Cup history that a team has won a knockout match in regulation time after trailing by two goals as late as the 75th minute, according to records.

Argentina's quest for back-to-back glory

Argentina are chasing history beyond just this tournament. A win in Kansas City on Saturday, where they face either Colombia or Switzerland in the quarterfinals, would keep alive their bid to become the first side to win back-to-back World Cup titles since Brazil claimed successive crowns in 1958 and 1962.

Egypt, who reached the round of 16 in only their third World Cup appearance, exit the tournament having pushed the champions to the absolute limit.