Happy tears! Lionel Messi follows Neymar & Cristiano Ronaldo in allowing emotion to spill out after seeing Argentina prevail in five-goal World Cup classic with Egypt

Lionel Messi tears Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar 2026 World Cup

Lionel Messi could not contain his emotions at the final whistle in Atlanta as Argentina staged a sensational late comeback to beat Egypt 3-2. After watching old rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar suffer painful exits in previous matches, the Inter Miami star shed tears of joy as the reigning champions secured their place in the quarter-finals.

Messi makes history amid the drama

The Albiceleste appeared to be heading for a shock exit as they trailed the African giants for much of the evening. However, Messi sparked the recovery, finding the net to ensure he became the first player in FIFA World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout stage matches. His clinical finish in the 83rd minute levelled the scores at 2-2 and set the stage for a frantic finale.

As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Enzo Fernandez rose highest to head home a cross from Lautaro Martinez, completing a turnaround that left the Egyptian side devastated.

Messi, who had spent the closing minutes driving his team forward, collapsed to the turf at full-time, weeping as the weight of the escape hit home. For the legendary No.10, these were far different tears to the ones shed by Ronaldo just 24 hours earlier following Portugal's elimination.

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Controversy and touchline chaos

The match was not without its flashpoints, as the closing stages were marred by a furious confrontation between the two benches. Egypt were left incensed by the referee's refusal to award a penalty to Mohamed Salah just moments before Argentina’s winning goal. Salah appeared to be clipped by Lisandro Martinez, but the officials waved play on, leading to a touchline fracas that saw several staff members and players disciplined.

Marwan Attia was booked as the Egyptian protests grew increasingly vocal, and the head coach was also shown a yellow card for his reaction. A member of the Egyptian backroom staff was eventually sent off as emotions boiled over.

The Pharaohs felt the game should have been halted for a VAR review, but the goal stood, leaving Ibrahim’s side to wonder what might have been after such a heroic display.

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Salah left heartbroken after brave effort

Despite the bitter ending, Egypt earned plenty of admirers for a performance that pushed the world champions to the absolute limit. Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush looked dejected at the final whistle, having been less than 12 minutes away from securing one of the greatest upsets in the history of the tournament. Their disciplined defensive shape and clinical counter-attacking had Argentina rattled for the vast majority of the contest.

Argentina now march on to the quarter-finals, where they will look to maintain the momentum from this "great escape." For Messi, the images of his emotional celebration will serve as a defining moment of this World Cup, illustrating that even after all his success, the hunger to win with his country remains as strong as ever. The defending champions have survived their biggest scare yet, but they remain on the march.

Keane hails the champion's spirit

Former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane was moved by the spectacle, praising the resilience of the world champions. Speaking on ITV, Keane encapsulated the emotional rollercoaster of the knockout rounds: "My voice is gone. I loved it. Yesterday we saw sad tears from Ronaldo. Today we see happy tears from Messi. They will not give up. The quality of their goals were amazing. Wow. This is why we love the game. Absolutely amazing."

The victory was a testament to Argentina's refusal to accept defeat, even after Egypt had raced into a 2-0 lead through Ibrahim and Zico. The tenacity shown by Lionel Scaloni’s men in the final 15 minutes proved why they remain the team to beat in this competition. For Messi, the dream of defending the crown remains very much alive after a night of pure theatre.