Kansas City, USA. Lionel Messi praised the character and strength of the Argentine national team after their spectacular comeback against Egypt in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, asserting that La Albiceleste never stops fighting, regardless of the circumstances of the match.
“This team never gives up. What madness today, once again… this group is incredible“, wrote the Argentine captain on his social media after the dramatic victory that qualified the world champions for the quarterfinals.
Argentina was on the verge of elimination after being down 2-0 until the 79th minute. However, the team led by Lionel Scaloni reacted with goals from Cristian Romero, Messi himself, and Enzo Fernández to seal an unforgettable comeback.
At the end of the match, Messi could not hold back his tears. The captain had missed a penalty in the first half and then scored the equalizing goal, releasing all the tension accumulated in a match that could have meant his farewell to the World Cups.
His teammates were quick to support him. Midfielder Leandro Paredes explained that the group wants to extend the Argentine star’s World Cup career as long as possible.
“We didn’t tell him much, we just tried to hug him so he would feel that we are with him until the end. We want his last World Cup match to never come,” he expressed.
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For his part, coach Lionel Scaloni also highlighted Messi’s personality and the example he sets for the rest of the squad.
“He could have fallen apart after missing the penalty, but he asked for the ball again and kept trying. That reflects who he is. We must also highlight his teammates, who supported him in an extraordinary way. That defines this group,” stated the Argentine coach.
After the triumph, the Albiceleste delegation returned to Kansas City, where they set up their headquarters during the World Cup and where they will begin preparations to face Switzerland this Saturday in the quarterfinals, with the goal of continuing to defend the title won in Qatar 2022.
