Lionel Scaloni insists he at all times believed Argentina may flip issues round regardless of shedding 2-0 to Egypt within the final 16 of the World Cup.
Argentina had been seeking to turn out to be the primary defending champions to be outclassed at this stage by their opponents since Italy in 1986.
Egypt took the lead within the fifteenth minute with a header from Yasser Ibrahim, and Mostafa Zico, whose earlier objective had been dominated out by VAR, slotted residence previous Emiliano Martinez within the 67th minute.
Nonetheless, Argentina fought again with two objectives in a span of 4 minutes. Cristian Romero headed Lionel Messi’s cross within the 79th minute, and the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner smashed it over the crossbar to equalize.
Nonetheless, extra drama awaited within the second half. After Julian Álvarez introduced Lautaro Martínez on in its place, he crossed for Enzo Fernandes to go residence in an unbelievable comeback.
Based on Opta’s win price information, when Romero’s objective made it 2-1, Argentina’s win price was simply 0.6%.
Argentina had been trailing within the 78th minute of the sport, the slowest time ever for a group to fall behind by greater than two factors in a World Cup match, and the primary time within the event that they got here from behind to win with out going into extra time.
However Scaloni stated he was at all times assured his group would discover a technique to win and proceed to defend their title, even when their subsequent opponent was Switzerland.
“I at all times felt that the sport was on our aspect. Aside from the end result, I do not assume the group performed poorly. We had our possibilities,” Scaloni advised reporters.
“It was even worse towards Cape Verde and we appeared like we had been actually in hassle. Even once we had been 0-2 as we speak, we had the sensation that sooner or later we’d get an opportunity and switch it round.”
“We performed utterly totally different soccer towards Egypt.”
78 – Argentina had been trailing on the 78th minute, the most recent group ever to fall behind by greater than two objectives in a FIFA World Cup match and are available from behind to win with out going to additional time (3-2).
Legendary. pic.twitter.com/sQUtiaoAbL
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 7, 2026
Scaloni additionally extremely praised captain Messi, who missed an opportunity to equalize within the twenty first minute when Mostafa Chobeir saved a penalty.
Excluding penalty shootouts, Messi is the one participant to fail to transform multiple penalty in a single World Cup event, and he additionally missed within the group stage match towards Austria.
Nonetheless, he redeemed himself with a objective and an help, turning into the primary participant in World Cup historical past to attain in six consecutive video games.
Messi additionally scored his record-extending twenty first objective within the World Cup, making it his eighth objective of the event. That is probably the most for a group by the opening 5 video games of a single version since Germany’s Gerd Müller (10) in 1970.
“I am certain he performs soccer for moments like this… It is onerous to elucidate that he looks like this at this stage of his profession,” Scaloni stated of Messi’s play.
“It was an unforgettable second. It doesn’t matter what occurs subsequent, this group provides me the sensation that I’ll by no means cease believing, even when every little thing goes towards the grain.”
Fernandes’ header was the three,000th objective within the event’s historical past. The objective, clocked at 91 minutes and 55 seconds, was additionally the most recent successful objective by an Argentine participant throughout common time in a World Cup match.
After the ultimate whistle, Scaloni and several other different Argentina gamers had been moved to tears by one other stunning efficiency.
“I am at all times emotional. Typically I am in tears,” Scaloni stated. “I began crying within the dressing room. The boys additionally name me ‘crybaby,’ however I do not care.”
“For all of us who’ve been taking part in soccer for 20 years, it is unbelievable to have the ability to really feel what we felt once more as we speak.
“I believe most coaches who performed soccer grew to become coaches due to days like this, that emotion, that adrenaline.”
