08/07/2026 06:04 - Deportes
On July 7, 2026, the Argentine National Team wrote a new page of glory in the 2026 World Cup. In the Round of 16 played at the Atlanta Stadium, the team coached by Lionel Scaloni defeated Egypt 3-2, in a match that showed the heart of a champion.
The match started adversely for the Albiceleste (a nickname for the Argentine team meaning 'white and sky blue'), who found themselves losing 2-0 with goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Ziko. Even captain Lionel Messi missed a penalty kick in the first half. However, the team's warrior spirit did not give up and, in a thrilling finale, Argentina achieved the comeback in the last minutes of the match with goals from Cristian Romero (79'), Lionel Messi, and Enzo Fernández (92'), thus avoiding extra time.
According to the analysis by TyC Sports (a major Argentine sports network), Lionel Messi was the great figure with a rating of 9, standing out for his powerful and emotional equalizing goal. Other key players in the comeback were Cristian Romero (8) for his warrior spirit, Leandro Paredes (8) for his midfield control, and Lautaro Martínez (8), who came off the bench and provided a beautiful assist for Enzo Fernández's goal.
The coach, Lionel Scaloni, was rated a 7 for his successful substitutions, including the entry of Tagliafico, Paredes, and Julián Álvarez, who ultimately responded to the trust placed in them.
The performance of Argentina and, especially, of Messi, crossed borders and generated impactful headlines. In Argentina, the newspaper Olé summarized it with 'epic and heart of a champion', while La Nación opted for a literary look: 'Messi writes the World Cup'.
Internationally, the BBC titled 'Messi adds another incredible chapter to his career', The Guardian highlighted Messi's 'relief', and the Spanish newspaper SPORT was blunt with its headline: 'Messi and ten more'. A global recognition for a player who, at 39 years old, continues to carry the team on his shoulders.
In the other Round of 16 tie, Switzerland eliminated Colombia at the BC Place Stadium in Vancouver. The match ended 0-0 in regular time and extra time, and was decided in a penalty shootout where the Europeans won 4-3.
Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was the hero of the night by making a spectacular save against Colombian Cucho Hernández. With this victory, Switzerland reaches the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1954. Luis Suárez, a former player and now part of the Colombian coaching staff, lamented the defeat and called the day 'sad', but stressed that the team 'was meant for better things'.
Argentina, as the only Latin American representative left in the tournament, will face Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup next Saturday, July 11. Come on Argentina!
Sources: BBC Mundo, Sport.es, TyC Sports
Alfredo S. Quiroga
