VIDEO: Messi in tears after Argentina Round of 16 victory

Argentina captain Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion, shedding tears after his country completed a comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16 and keep their World Cup title defence alive.

Argentina were on the brink of elimination at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday, trailing 0-2 as late as the 75th minute after Messi missed a penalty when his side was 1-0 down.

But the defending champions produced a remarkable turnaround after Cristian Romero headed home in the 79th minute to spark hope.

Messi equalised in the 85th minute with a clinical finish, and Enzo Fernández headed the winner in stoppage time from Lautaro Martínez’s cross.

A video circulating online captures the moment the referee blew the final whistle amid a frantic finish.

It shows Messi pumping his fists, visibly in tears, before covering his face.

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He was immediately rushed and embraced by his teammates, who lifted him in jubilation.

Despite missing a crucial chance to equalise earlier in the game, Messi later proved central to the revival.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or provided an assist and scored to extend his record of goals in nine consecutive World Cups.

Egypt, who led through Yasser Ibrahim and Zico, mounted fierce resistance and nearly added more on the counter, but Argentina’s late surge proved decisive.

The win propels Argentina into the quarter-finals, where their campaign continues.

Saheed Oyelakin

Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.

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