Messi Does the Impossible — Argentina Stages a Wild World Cup Comeback!
Quick Summary
In one of the most dramatic matches of the 2026 World Cup, Argentina came back from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2. All three goals came in the final 11 minutes! Now just eight teams remain, and the quarterfinals begin tomorrow.
What Happened?
Yesterday (July 7), soccer fans around the world held their breath in Atlanta, Georgia. Argentina — the reigning World Cup champions — looked completely beaten. Egypt had scored two goals. Time was running out.
Then, something extraordinary happened.
In the 79th minute, Argentina scored their first goal. Lionel Messi — the 39-year-old soccer legend — set it up with a perfectly placed pass. Just minutes later, Messi himself scored to tie the game at 2-2. And then, in stoppage time at the very end of the game, Enzo Fernández headed in the winning goal to complete an unbelievable comeback.
The final score was Argentina 3, Egypt 2.
What makes this even more incredible is that Messi had actually missed a penalty kick early in the game! He had two shots hit the post and one saved. Then he refused to give up. He scored his eighth goal of the whole tournament, making him the tournament’s top scorer.
In the other July 7 match, Switzerland beat Colombia 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the game ended 0-0. Penalty shootouts are like a tiebreaker where each team takes turns kicking the ball at the goal, one player at a time.
Why Does It Matter?
The 2026 World Cup quarterfinals are now set! Here is who is playing:
- France vs. Morocco — Thursday, July 9, in Boston
- Spain vs. Belgium — Friday, July 10
- Norway vs. England — Saturday, July 11
- Argentina vs. Switzerland — Saturday, July 11
Morocco already made history by becoming the first African team ever to reach back-to-back World Cup quarterfinals. France’s Kylian Mbappé has scored seven goals. Norway’s Erling Haaland knocked out Brazil. This World Cup has been full of surprises at every turn!
The final will be played on Sunday, July 19, in New Jersey.
Big Words
- Quarterfinal — the round of a tournament where eight teams compete and only four move on
- Comeback — when a team that is losing manages to score enough goals to win
- Stoppage time — extra minutes added to the end of a soccer game to make up for any pauses during play
- Penalty shootout — a way to decide a tied game where players take turns kicking at the goal one at a time
- Tournament — a series of games where teams compete until one champion is crowned
Fun Fact
Lionel Messi’s World Cup goal yesterday was his 21st ever in World Cup finals matches — a record no other player in history has ever matched!
Think About It
If you were a player on a team losing 2-0 with only 11 minutes left, what would you say to your teammates to help them believe they could still win?
Sources
- ESPN — Argentina 3-2 Egypt: Lionel Messi scores in stunning comeback — as it happened
- NBC News — World Cup 2026 live updates: Argentina storms back to beat Egypt 3-2
- Sky Sports — World Cup 2026: Argentina 3-2 Egypt — Lionel Messi and holders come from two down
- Olympics.com — Lionel Messi leads incredible Argentina comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2
- Fox Sports — 2026 World Cup Bracket: The Quarterfinals Matchups Are Set