Lionel Messi went from zero to hero in about 15 minutes of game time on Tuesday, and Argentina is still alive because of it. The reigning champs were staring down elimination against Egypt, down 2-0 in Atlanta, before pulling off the kind of comeback that gets carved into World Cup lore.
It started badly and got worse before it got better. Egypt’s Yasser Ibrahim powered home a header in the 15th minute, and then Messi did something he’d never done before on this stage. He missed a penalty. It was his fourth failed spot kick in World Cup history, the most of any player ever. Not the record he wanted. Ziko made it 2-0 in the 67th minute and the obituaries were basically being written.
But Argentina has made a habit of taking the hard road this tournament. They scraped past Cape Verde in the round of 16. This felt worse though. Way worse. Lionel Scaloni’s team looked cooked.
Then Messi found another gear. He set up Cristian Romero in the 79th minute to cut the deficit in half. Four minutes later he ripped a half-volley into the net to tie it. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium lost its mind. Enzo Fernandez finished the job in stoppage time and Messi was in tears at the final whistle. Not bad for a guy who missed a penalty an hour earlier.
Argentina now faces Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Egypt has to live with the fact they had the champs on the ropes and let them off.
Ronaldo’s Last World Cup Ends in Heartbreak
Spain sent Cristiano Ronaldo into international retirement with a gut-punch of a goal in the round of 16. Mikel Merino scored in stoppage time to give Spain a 1-0 win and end Portugal’s run. It was a quiet end for Ronaldo, who had said this would be his final World Cup.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez confirmed after the game that he’s stepping down. His contract expired after the match and he made it clear the time was right for a change. He called it the end of a cycle and said the federation should pick its own guy. The subtext there is loud and clear. Portugal’s next era starts without Ronaldo and without Martinez.
Mbappe Fires Back After Racist Attack From Paraguayan Senator
Kylian Mbappe didn’t just beat Paraguay on the field. He went after a politician who attacked him off it. Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla posted a racist rant about Mbappe after France’s 1-0 win in the round of 16, calling him a colonized Cameroonian who can’t write. Mbappe responded by calling her despicable and unworthy of her office.
The French star scored the winning penalty in Philadelphia to send Les Bleus through. He’s now heading into a quarterfinal matchup with Morocco. The road to the final is brutal. France could face Spain or Belgium after that. But right now Mbappe’s focused on the noise and he’s not letting anyone slide.
Meanwhile Argentina might get England in the semis if both teams keep winning. Thomas Tuchel has England rolling. They face Norway and Erling Haaland in the quarterfinals. That one should be fun.
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