Lionel Messi: 'This Team Never Surrenders and Fights to the Very End'

Lionel Messi spoke out after Argentina's dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, praising his side's resilience in a match that went down to the wire. "To be honest, I'm delighted we got through, especially given the way we did it," Messi said after the final whistle. "This team never gives up and fights until the very end. We knew Egypt would be dangerous, but we kept believing and snatched the win." Argentina took the lead in the first half, but Egypt twice pulled level, setting up a tense finale. The decisive goal came in stoppage time, sparking wild celebrations in the stands. Messi, who did not get on the scoresheet himself, pointed to the collective spirit as the key difference. Next up for the defending champions will be the winner of the Netherlands-USA matchup. Messi made clear that the road only gets harder from here as Argentina continues its quest to retain the trophy.