Ibrahimovic: Messi needs help despite 'animal' form

FBL-WC-2026-MATCH95-ARG-EGY

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has sent a blunt message to the Argentina squad, insisting that Lionel Messi cannot continue to carry the national team alone despite his superhuman performances at the World Cup. The Inter Miami superstar was at his talismanic best during a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt, but Ibrahimovic believes the supporting cast must do more to alleviate the burden on their captain.

Ibrahimovic hails Messi the animal

Messi once again proved why he is considered the greatest of all time, inspiring Argentina to a sensational comeback win against Egypt in the World Cup round of 16. After falling 2-0 behind in Atlanta, Messi sparked the revival by assisting Cristian Romero before scoring the equaliser himself, ultimately setting the stage for Enzo Fernandez's stoppage-time winner. The performance left Ibrahimovic in awe of his former Barcelona teammate's relentless drive.

Speaking on Fox Sports, Ibrahimovic noted a distinct change in Messi’s demeanor as the threat of elimination loomed. "You can see that something changed. He flipped a switch (after 2-0). He became an animal and nobody could stop him," Ibrahimovic said. "You can see how much it means to him. He may have won everything, however many Ballon d’Or awards there are, but he still wants more."

FBL-WC-2026-MATCH95-ARG-EGY

A warning for the supporting cast

Despite the celebrations that followed the final whistle, which saw a tearful Messi embraced by his teammates, Ibrahimovic offered a stern critique of the rest of the Argentina squad. The Swedish legend suggested that the defending champions are leaning too heavily on a 39-year-old who is currently outshining every other player in the tournament. Messi currently leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals, ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, who have both scored seven.

Ibrahimovic is adamant that the Albiceleste cannot expect Messi to rescue them in every knockout fixture. He added: ‘To be a little critical, his teammates need to step up more and help. He’s on another level. If Messi continues like this until the end, nobody will be surprised. But he needs help.’

Henry joins the praise for the magician

Thierry Henry, joining Ibrahimovic on the broadcast, was equally mesmerised by Messi's ability to defy age and expectation on the world stage. The Inter Miami forward has now scored 21 World Cup goals throughout his career, surpassing legendary figures like Miroslav Klose and maintaining his lead over French superstar Mbappe, who has 19 World Cup goals to his name. Henry likened Messi’s career to a Hollywood production that feels almost too good to be true.

"If you write that script, it’s the kind of film you think could never be real. The kind where you think the director went too far," Henry remarked during the analysis. "But Messi writes like that, this guy writes history with his feet." 

Following the comeback against Egypt, Messi’s international tally now stands at a staggering 125 goals in 204 caps for his country.

FBL-WC-2026-MATCH95-ARG-EGY

The road to the quarter-finals

Argentina now turn their attention to a quarter-final clash against Switzerland in Kansas City this Saturday. The Swiss secured their spot after a tense penalty shootout win over Colombia, and they will represent the next hurdle for Lionel Scaloni’s side as they look to defend their crown. Messi himself acknowledged the difficulty of the journey so far, praising the resilience of the current group despite the early scares in Georgia.

"It got tough at 0-2 and it was very exciting to be able to turn it around," Messi said after the match. "It’s not easy to come back from 0-2 down, but this group never gives up and tries until the end. What this group did today in this qualifying round is insane."

Should they progress past the Swiss, a potential semi-final against the winners of England vs Norway awaits.