Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina registered a dramatic comeback win over Egypt to enter the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Tuesday. The Albiceleste were 0-2 down towards the end of regulation time, but they made a stunning comeback by scoring three goals in around 15 minutes. Cristian Romero found the back of the net in the 79th minute, before the talismanic Messi scored a goal four minutes later. Enzo Fernandez sealed the sensational victory for Argentina with a stoppage-time goal.
Emotions were high in both camps, with Egypt failing to control their displeasure. During the chaotic final moments, Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan’s reaction while engaging in an exchange with Messi around the touchline is going viral on social media. Hassan’s reaction drew more attention as he made FIFA’s anti-racism gesture right after his altercation with Messi, who was visibly stumped. The official intervened, and Messi’s teammates also entered the picture to pull the player back into play.
Watch it here:
Lionel Messi asks Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan: What’s wrong with you?
FT: Argentina 3-2 Egypt
Yasser Ibrahim
Mostafa Ziko
Christian Romero
Lionel Messi
Enzo Fernandez https://t.co/WAzfFA2bxK pic.twitter.com/t0WQZhGzC4— ShowTime Promotions (@ShowTimePromoUg) July 8, 2026
Following the final whistle, a visibly frustrated Hassan told reporters that his team had been treated unfairly.
“Argentina’s victory is entirely undeserved. I promise you, once I return today, I will not watch football in this World Cup at all, because there is no justice in it. My personal protest is that I will not watch this World Cup again. When I get back home and back to our country, I am not watching it,” Hassan told reporters after the match.
“We had the right to win, and I don’t want to say ‘hard luck’ to us – no. We left with honour, honour on our part. But the final result, aside from being highly influenced, is a far cry from the ‘fair play’ that FIFA talks about and far from respect. There was neither respect nor fair play today,” he added.
Hassan suggested that external influences had impacted the result. “We looked better than the reigning champions — better in every way –, but the result was influenced by internal factors on the pitch and external factors off it,” he said.
“Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running. In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champions received support at every level,” he added.
“I want to put it in beautiful words and say hard luck, but we have been treated unfairly, and it has been an injustice,” he added.