Lionel Messi joins Pele in exclusive World Cup knockout stage club after Egypt strike and eyes Kylian Mbappe’s mark

Powering his squad through an unbelievable comeback, Lionel Messi willed Argentina past Egypt and straight into the quarterfinals. Adding yet another massive highlight to his World Cup legacy, the iconic captain also locked down a rare milestone shared only with Pele and Kylian Mbappe.

The dramatic victory in Atlanta was about far more than simply advancing to the next round. Messi’s goal placed him in elite company and moved him closer to another historic World Cup benchmark, adding even more significance to an unforgettable night for Argentina.

Argentina overturned a two-goal deficit to defeat Egypt 3-2 and reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals. The defending champion looked to be heading for a shock exit after Egypt raced into a commanding lead through Yasser Ibrahim in the 15th minute before Mostafa Zico doubled the advantage in the 67th minute.

The African nation, already celebrating its first-ever appearance in the Round of 16, came within touching distance of one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Egypt had even seen another goal ruled out after a video review, making the eventual turnaround even more dramatic. Everything changed during the closing stages as Messi sparked Argentina’s revival.

He first supplied the assist for Cristian Romero’s goal in the 79th minute before scoring the equalizer himself four minutes later, and Enzo Fernandez completed the comeback with a stoppage-time winner in the 92nd minute. According to tournament records, it marked the first time in FIFA World Cup history that a national team won a knockout match in regulation time after trailing by two goals in the 75th minute.

Messi matches Pele in World Cup knockout history

The equalizing goal carried enormous historical significance beyond sending Argentina back into the contest. Messi’s strike moved him onto seven career goals in World Cup knockout matches, drawing level with the legendary Pele in one of soccer’s most exclusive records.

While Argentina celebrated qualification for the quarterfinals, Messi also reached another remarkable personal milestone. His equalizer against Egypt was his seventh career goal in FIFA World Cup knockout matches, allowing him to draw level with Brazilian legend Pele. The updated all-time World Cup knockout scoring leaderboard now reads:

Messi now shares one of the sport’s most exclusive records with Pele while moving within four knockout goals of Mbappé’s all-time mark.

Another collection of remarkable milestones

The goal against Egypt carried even greater historical significance beyond matching Pele. As per Opta, Messi became the first player in World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout-stage matches.

His strike also extended another extraordinary run, with Messi now having scored in nine consecutive World Cup matches dating back to Argentina’s triumphant 2022 campaign. During that stretch, he has accumulated 13 goals across those appearances.

The Argentine captain also moved further ahead in the race for the 2026 Golden Boot. His eighth goal of the tournament lifted him above both Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, who remain close behind as the knockout rounds continue.