Argentina staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 on Tuesday at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, United States.
The defending champions, trailing 2-0, rallied with three late goals to advance to the quarterfinals. Argentine forward Lionel Messi, playing a pivotal role, helped secure progression in a high-stakes knockout clash.
Cristian Romero, the Argentine defender, scored the first goal in the 79th minute assisted by Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi, the Argentine forward, added the equalizer in the 83rd minute assisted by Gonzalo Montiel. Enzo Fernández, the Argentine midfielder, netted the winner in the 90+3rd minute assisted by Lautaro Martínez. Egypt’s Yasser Ibrahim, the Egyptian defender, opened the scoring in the 15th minute from a corner by Marwan Attia. Mostafa Ziko, the Egyptian midfielder, made it 2-0 in the 67th minute assisted by Mohamed Salah on a counterattack.
Egypt dominated early with defensive solidity, but Argentina mounted a powerful second-half resurgence to overcome the deficit.
As Group K winners with strong form entering the knockout stage, Argentina maintained their tournament momentum despite early pressure. The victory extends their unbeaten run in recent World Cup matches, keeping goal difference positive amid a competitive campaign. Egypt, making a competitive Round of 16 debut, demonstrated resilience but fell short against the champions’ quality.
Argentina will face the winner of Switzerland versus Colombia in the quarterfinal on July 11.