Watch: Tearful Lionel Messi rises as Argentina dressing room and Buenos Aires erupt after epic World Cup exit

Argentina’s dramatic comeback against Egypt sparked emotional scenes both on and off the pitch, with a tearful Lionel Messi, jubilant teammates and euphoric fans in Buenos Aires celebrating one of the biggest escapes of the 2026 World Cup.After overcoming a two-goal deficit in the final 13 minutes to beat Egypt 3-2 in the last 16 on Tuesday, the reigning world champions erupted in celebration. From Messi breaking down in tears to teammates lifting the captain into the air and a wild dressing room scene filled with dancing, singing and water showers, the victory was as much about relief as it was about football.

Messi’s tears, dressing room party captures Argentina’s emotions

Argentina’s journey through the match was an emotional rollercoaster. At 2-0 in the 67th minute, elimination seemed inevitable. A stunning revival followed as Cristian Romero, Messi and Enzo Fernandez found the net within 13 minutes to stage a remarkable comeback.The final whistle unleashed months worth of emotions. Messi was seen shedding tears of joy as his teammates hugged him before lifting the captain high above their shoulders. Several players also broke down on the field after surviving one of the toughest tests of the title defence.The celebrations continued long after the game inside the locker room. The players danced, sang at the top of their lungs, waved their shirts in the air and splashed water on each other in scenes that reflected the magnitude of the escape. With a relieved smile, Messi watched his teammates experience an unforgettable moment.A video of the celebrations was also shared by the Argentine Football Association, which thanked the players for their fighting spirit and determination to never give up, while praising the team for defending the national colors with everything they had.

An incredible comeback keeps the World Cup dream alive

Egypt stunned Argentina early when Yásir Ibrahim headed home Marwan Attia’s corner in the 15th minute. Messi then missed from the penalty spot as goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir produced a series of superb saves to also deny Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez before the skipper hit the crossbar with a free-kick.The Pharaohs looked to have sealed the game when Mostafa Ziko finished off a quick counter-attack in the 67th minute to make it 2-0 after excellent work from Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan.But Argentina refused to give up. Romero headed home Messi’s free-kick in the 79th minute before the captain leveled with a thunderous strike four minutes later. Deep into stoppage time, Fernandez calmly slotted into the bottom corner to complete an extraordinary turnaround to make it 3-2.The dramatic win set up a quarter-final showdown with Switzerland on July 12, while celebrations spread far beyond the stadium and incredible scenes unfolded in Buenos Aires as supporters poured into the streets to celebrate another memorable World Cup night.