Lionel Messi struck a late equaliser to spare Argentina from defeat, levelling their FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage match against Egypt at 2-2 in Atlanta.

The defending world champions had fallen behind and faced the prospect of dropping crucial points before Messi stepped up to rescue a draw. The match, played in Atlanta, ended in a share of the spoils following the Argentina captain's timely intervention.

Egypt's Pharaohs had pushed the South American giants to the brink, holding a two-goal advantage before Messi's intervention denied them what would have been a memorable World Cup upset.