• Messi and Salah met in a thrilling Round of 16 encounter
• Egypt pushed the reigning champions all the way in Atlanta
• Argentina came from two goals down to keep title defence alive
A few days before Argentina and Egypt faced off in the , Mohamed Salah had been asked who he would choose to share a “last dance” with at the tournament. He did not hesitate, naming Lionel Messi before the tie had even been confirmed.
Fate granted his wish, bringing the two legends of the game together in the Round of 16 for one of the great matches of this edition of the FIFA World Cup™.
Their pre-match embrace made it clear that both knew they were facing a very special opponent. All that remained was to see which side would prevail in a knockout match of such fine margins, where every passage of play could prove decisive for the two veterans: Salah, 34, and Messi, 39.
Salah’s serious expression broke into a smile when Egypt opened the scoring after 15 minutes. The Pharaohs' captain allowed himself a brief moment of celebration before quickly turning his attention back to the task at hand; even on the greatest night in their World Cup history, Egypt still had to contend with the reigning champions.
With Messi in their ranks Argentina are naturally a side to be feared, and the crowd at Atlanta Stadium was on its feet as the No10 stepped up to take a penalty in the 21st minute. This time, however, Mostafa Shobeir took centre stage, pulling off a spectacular save.
In the second half, as La Albiceleste committed bodies forward, Salah rolled back the years and led a magnificent counter-attack that ended with Zico scoring Egypt’s second.
But Argentina’s momentum did not fade. The South Americans struck twice in four minutes: first through Romero, who directed in Messi’s assist with a firm header, and then through La Pulga himself, who unleashed a fierce strike no doubt fuelled by his earlier frustration.
Both sides looked to their captains for emotional leadership more than ever. With neither team willing to wait for extra time, Salah tried to guide Egypt towards the decisive goal. Instead, it was Enzo Fernandez who headed home in the 92nd minute, reducing Messi to tears.
The 3-2 victory left Argentina’s captain overcome with emotion. “What this squad did was incredible. Coming back from 2-0 down in a knockout match, especially at a World Cup that has already produced so many surprises, says everything about this team," he said.
"This squad keeps fighting and never gives up. It was a huge relief for everyone. That penalty miss hurt, but the comeback showed our character and made me even prouder to be part of this group.”
Argentina’s legendary forward is not ready for his final farewell just yet. Still hungry for victory, he is now three wins away from retaining football’s greatest prize.
As for Salah, he has yet to say whether he will play at another World Cup – Egypt would first have to qualify for 2030 – but he has already carved his name into the nation’s football history. The team reached the knockout stage for the first time, won a knockout tie in unforgettable fashion and went toe to toe with Argentina. They can leave North America with their heads held high.
“I don’t know whether this is the last dance, but it’s always been an honour to wear this shirt,” Salah said. “I hope I can inspire people – particularly children – to believe they can go far. I hope they see me as a source of inspiration. Success is not reserved for one person, and someone else’s success does not diminish my own.”
Sources: FIFA Official
