Lionel Messi scripted a never before seen World Cup history as Argentina completed an epic comeback

Argentina’s Lionel Messi (10) celebrates his second goal. (AP photo) Lionel Messi added another extraordinary chapter to his storied World Cup career on Tuesday, becoming the first player in tournament history to score in six consecutive knockout stage matches as Argentina staged a stunning late comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 to reach the quarter-finals.The 39-year-old, who had previously missed a penalty in the first half, redeemed himself in spectacular fashion when he scored the equalizer in the 83rd minute before Enzo Fernandez completed a remarkable turnaround in stoppage time. Argentina trailed 2-0 until the 79th minute, the latest team ever to trail by two or more goals and still come back to win a World Cup game in regulation time.

Messi is rewriting the World Cup record books again

Messi’s intervention 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, underscoring his remarkable consistency on football’s biggest stage.The Argentina captain also extended another amazing record by scoring in nine consecutive World Cup matches, which has never been achieved before in the history of the tournament.His goal was his eighth at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the most by any player in the team’s opening five games in a single edition since German great Gerd Müller scored 10 in 1970. Messi’s total World Cup tally also reached a record 21 goals.The strike also equaled Guillermo Stábile’s long-standing Argentine record of eight goals in a single edition of the World Cup, which he first set during the inaugural tournament in 1930.Despite missing from the penalty spot earlier in the evening, Messi still produced another all-round master class. He became only the second Argentine, after Diego Maradona, to score, complete at least five dribbles and create five or more chances from open play in a World Cup match.Ironically, a missed penalty added another unwanted record. Messi became the first player to miss two penalties in one edition of the World Cup (excluding shootouts) and now has four missed penalties in his World Cup career – the most of any player in the tournament’s history.

Argentina produces another famous escape

For long periods it seemed that Argentina’s title defense was over.Yasser Ibrahim gave Egypt an early lead before Mostafa Zico doubled the advantage in the 67th minute. Egypt even had another goal disallowed after a VAR review and Lionel Scaloni’s team remained on the brink of elimination.Cristian Romero sparked a revival with a towering header in the 79th minute before Messi equalized for Argentina four minutes later to send the crowd into delirium. Deep into stoppage time, Fernandez completed one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup knockout history.Visibly emotional at the final whistle, Messi kept Argentina’s dream of retaining the World Cup alive. The defending champions will now face Switzerland in the quarter-finals and their captain will once again prove that when the stakes are highest, he continues to make history.