Messi Explains Tears After Argentina's Comeback Against Egypt: "I Was Angry and Frustrated"

Lionel Messi was unable to hold back his tears after Argentina's thrilling match against Egypt in the 2026 World Cup, where he led his team to a historic comeback from a two-goal deficit to a 3-2 win.

The Argentine captain stated that he left the field after the first half feeling "a lot of anger and sorrow" due to a missed penalty, explaining that scoring it could have changed the course of the game.

He added, "I was extremely frustrated by what happened, especially after the penalty kick. If I had scored it, the match would have been completely different because we were playing well despite conceding the goal."

Messi acknowledged that the Egyptian team made the task difficult but praised his teammates' character and their ability to stage a comeback, saying, "This group never gives up, proving it match after match. Coming back from 0-2 down in a World Cup knockout game shows pride, character, and the desire to fight until the end."

He concluded by expressing his happiness at helping the team, describing the equalizing goal after the missed penalty as a special moment for him, especially considering all the pressure he experienced during the match.

Messi was awarded the Man of the Match for the Argentina versus Egypt game, extending his record as the player with the most Man of the Match awards in World Cup history since the award's inception.

His record stands at 15 awards, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with 9 and Arjen Robben with 6.