Argentina captain Lionel Messi has revealed the emotional reason behind the tears that followed his side’s dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt national football team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
The 39-year-old, who inspired Argentina’s remarkable fightback after missing a first-half penalty, admitted that his emotions were driven by guilt and relief rather than simply celebrating qualification for the quarter-finals.
Speaking after the match, Messi said:
“I cried because I felt that I let my teammates down because of the penalty I missed and the way I took it. But thankfully, once again, God had something special for me in the end. I’m very happy.”
Argentina looked on the verge of a shock elimination after falling 2-0 behind against Egypt. However, the defending champions gave an extraordinary late comeback, with Cristian Romero pulling one back before Messi scored the equaliser. Enzo Fernández then headed home the dramatic winner in stoppage time to seal a 3-2 victory and send Argentina into the quarter-finals.
Reflecting on the team’s resilience, Messi praised the fighting spirit within the squad.
“We didn’t want and didn’t deserve to go home. We could not let it end like that. This group really deserved to keep going. We never give up. Never.”
Despite enduring one of the toughest moments of his World Cup career after the missed penalty, Messi redeemed himself with a decisive performance when Argentina needed him most. His goal and assist helped preserve the reigning champions’ hopes of defending their World Cup crown.
Argentina will now turn their attention to the quarter-finals, where they will face Switzerland national football team as they continue their pursuit of back-to-back FIFA World Cup titles.
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