Lionel Messi added another amazing chapter to his legend FIFA World Cup career on Tuesday, becoming the first player in tournament history to score in six consecutive knockout-stage matches as Argentina produced a stunning late comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 and reach the quarter-finals.The 39-year-old, who had earlier missed a penalty in the first half, redeemed himself in spectacular fashion by scoring the equalizer in the 83rd minute before Enzo Fernandez completed a remarkable turnaround in stoppage time. Argentina trailed 2-0 until the 79th minute, making it the last time any team trailed by two or more goals and still came back to win a World Cup match in regulation time.
Messi rewrote the World Cup record books
Messi’s strike was historic on many fronts. According to Opta, he became the first player in FIFA World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout-stage matches, highlighting his remarkable consistency on football’s biggest stage.The Argentine captain also extended another remarkable record by scoring in nine consecutive World Cup matches, a feat never before achieved in the history of the tournament.His goal was his eighth of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the highest tally by any player by opening five games for a team in one edition since Germany legend Gerd Müller scored 10 in 1970. It also took Messi’s World Cup total tally to a record-extending 21 goals.The strike also saw him equal Guillermo Stábile’s long-standing Argentine record of eight goals in one edition of the World Cup, first set during the inaugural tournament in 1930.Despite missing from the penalty spot earlier in the evening, Messi produced another all-round masterclass. He became only the second Argentine after that Diego Maradona to score, complete at least five dribbles and create five or more chances from open play in a World Cup match.Ironically, the missed penalty also added another unwanted record. Messi became the first player to miss two penalties in one edition of the World Cup (not including shootouts) and now has four missed penalties in his entire World Cup career — the most of any player in the tournament’s history.
Argentina made another famous escape
For a long time, Argentina’s title defense looked like it was over.Yasser Ibrahim gave Egypt an early lead before Mostafa Zico doubled the advantage in the 67th minute. Egypt had another goal disallowed after a VAR review, leaving Lionel Scaloni’s side on the brink of elimination.Cristian Romero sparked the revival with a towering header in the 79th minute before Messi pulled Argentina level four minutes later, sending the crowd into delirium. Deep into stoppage time, Fernandez completed one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup knockout history.Messi, visibly emotional at the final whistle, kept Argentina’s dream of keeping the World Cup alive. The defending champions will now face Switzerland in the quarter-finals, where their captain once again proved that when the stakes are high, he will continue to make history.