Argentina produced one of the most memorable comebacks of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, recovering from a two-goal deficit to defeat Egypt 3-2 in a thrilling Round of 16 encounter and secure their place in the quarter-finals.
Argentina will now face either Colombia or Switzerland in the quarter-finals on July 11 at Kansas City Stadium as they continue their quest to become back-to-back World Cup champions.
Egypt stunned Lionel Scaloni’s side in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim powered home a header to give the Pharaohs the lead.
The African side defended resolutely throughout the first half before doubling their advantage after the break. A swift counter-attack involving Mohamed Salah, Haissem Hassan and Mostafa Ziko carved open the Argentine defence, with Ziko calmly finishing beyond Emiliano Martínez to make it 2-0.
With elimination looming, Argentina found a lifeline in the 79th minute as Cristian Romero headed home from a set-piece.
Softfootball gathered the momentum immediately shifted in Argentina’s favour, and Lionel Messi once again delivered on the biggest stage, firing home the equaliser to make it 2-2 and ignite the Argentine supporters.
Deep into stoppage time, substitute Lautaro Martínez produced a pinpoint cross that was brilliantly headed into the net by Enzo Fernández.
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Argentina | Egypt |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 63% | 37% |
| Total Shots | 21 | 9 |
| Shots on Target | 10 | 5 |
| Shots off Target | 8 | 2 |
| Blocked Shots | 3 | 2 |
| Expected Goals (xG)* | 2.78 | 1.41 |
| Corners | 8 | 3 |
| Offsides | 2 | 1 |
| Fouls Committed | 12 | 16 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 | 3 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Passes Completed | 621 | 344 |
| Passing Accuracy | 89% | 81% |
*Estimated xG.
Goalscorers
| Minute | Team | Goalscorer |
|---|---|---|
| 15′ | Egypt | Yasser Ibrahim |
| 61′ | Egypt | Mostafa Ziko |
| 79′ | Argentina | Cristian Romero |
| 86′ | Argentina | Lionel Messi |
| 90+2′ | Argentina | Enzo Fernández |
Argentina Player Ratings
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Emiliano Martínez | 5.5 |
| Nahuel Molina | 7 |
| Cristian Romero | 7 |
| Lisandro Martínez | 7 |
| Nicolás Tagliafico | 6 |
| Leandro Paredes | 7 |
| Rodrigo De Paul | 6 |
| Alexis Mac Allister | 6 |
| Enzo Fernández | 7.5 |
| Julián Álvarez | 7 |
| Lionel Messi | 8.5 ⭐ (Man of the Match) |
Substitutes
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Lautaro Martínez | 7 |
| Gonzalo Montiel | 7 |
| Nico González | 5 |
| Facundo Medina | N/A |
| Nicolás Otamendi | N/A |
Egypt Player Ratings
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Mostafa Ahmed Shobeir | 8 |
| Mohamed Hany | 6 |
| Yasser Ibrahim | 8 |
| Rami Rabia | 7 |
| Karim Hafez | 7 |
| Emam Ashour | 5 |
| Marwan Ateya | 7 |
| Mohanad Lasheen | 6 |
| Haissem Hassan | 7.5 |
| Mostafa Ziko | 7.5 |
| Mohamed Salah | 7 |
Substitutes
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Hamdi Fathi | 5.5 |
| Trezeguet | 5 |
| Omar Marmoush | 5 |
| Zizo | N/A |
