Lionel Messi Breaks Another Record as He Leads Argentina to Unbelievable World Cup Comeback

Natasha DyeTue, July 7, 2026 at 6:26 PM UTC

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Lionel Messi in the 2026 FIFA World Cup on July 7Credit: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty -

Lionel Messi led Argentina to an unbelievable comeback win over Egypt on Tuesday, July 7 in their Round of 16 match at the World Cup

Argentina went scoreless in the first half until Messi assisted a header from Cristian Romero before scoring a goal himself minutes later

In the final minutes, a goal from Enzo Fernandez gave Argentina the 3-2 win

Lionel Messi and Argentina pulled off an unbelievable comeback to keep their World Cup dreams alive.

Things were looking grim for Argentina and its 39-year-old star in the first half of their Round of 16 match against Egypt on Tuesday, July 6 as they trailed 2-0 well past the 75th minute of the game.

But with less than 15 minutes to go, Argentina scored their first goal thanks to a Cristian Romero header, assisted by Messi, before Messi tied the score at two-a-piece minutes later. Then, in the seven extra minutes of play, a header from Enzo Fernandez gave Argentina a stunning 3-2 lead that secured them the win over Egypt.

Messi looked emotional as he and his teammates celebrated on the pitch after the final whistle in Atlanta, Georgia. The Argentinian soccer star celebrated by hugging his teammates and approaching the stands of Argentina fans to wave and cheer with them. At one point, he was seen removing his shirt to wipe tears from his eyes.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is Messi’s sixth time competing in the tournament. His first was in 2006. In 2022, he led Argentina to a World Cup victory in Qatar, scoring a total of seven goals, and was awarded another Golden Ball honor, setting high expectations for the nation’s run in 2026 and what is expected to be Messi’s final World Cup appearance.

The captain returned to the World Cup in June 2026, and although it’s still underway, he’s already made history. After scoring his record-breaking 18th World Cup goal on June 22, his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, celebrated the milestone in an Instagram post.

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“What a privilege to see you make history again and again 🤍 🇦🇷,” she wrote. “Te amo @leomessi !!!”

Messi snagged another record on Tuesday, with a record 9th assist at the World Cup.

Lionel Messi in the 2026 FIFA World CupCredit: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty

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Before entering the 2026 tournament, Messi spoke to ESPN about the pressures of coming back after winning it. “Coming off winning the World Cup gives you confidence and relief to prepare competitions differently,” he said at the time, emphasizing how Argentina is at an advantage despite the pressure.

“Argentina needs to take advantage of this moment,” Messi added.

Messi and Argentina will now face either Switzerland or Colombia in the quarterfinals on July 11.

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Source: “AOL Sports”