in atlanta on tuesday, with just 11 minutes remaining in the match against Egypt, argentina found themselves trailing 2-0. the clock was ticking toward a potential world cup exit for lionel messi. in a breathtaking sequence, messi delivered a pinpoint cross to the head of cristian romero at the 79th minute, tying the score at 2-1. two minutes later, romero’s header found the back of the net, making it 3-1. in stoppage time, enzo fernandez completed the comeback with a dramatic winner in the 93rd minute. messi collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face—another miracle had been pulled off.

“very few teams manage to overturn results with such chaotic twists: messi’s missed penalty, missed chances, and the egyptian goalkeeper’s heroics,” noted jerome rothen in his analysis. this triumph followed a grueling victory over cape verde three days earlier. despite being twice pegged back, the argentinians clawed their way to a 3-2 extra-time win over the fifa-ranked 64th nation—some players even suffered cramps from the relentless effort.

argentina’s resilience in 2026 has been unshakable, their unbeaten run continuing despite being pushed to the brink. “this team has real character and grit—it’s their greatest strength,” remarked jerome rothen. frank leboeuf, world champion with France in 1998, echoed the sentiment: “i was struck by argentina’s unity. that solidarity can make all the difference against any opponent.”

the culture of suffering in argentine football

the concept of “garra”—the relentless tenacity that defines argentine football—has been celebrated by fans and media alike. the national team’s unyielding spirit, even in the face of adversity, is deeply ingrained in their collective identity. sports daily olé captured this essence after their latest triumph: “resilience isn’t bought at a pharmacy or ordered online. an epic isn’t learned—it’s lived. argentina doesn’t just play the game; they endure it. they suffer, fight, and never surrender.”

former senegalese international and commentator souleymane diawara offered a more measured perspective: “a team chasing back-to-back world titles shouldn’t falter against teams like cape verde or Egypt. argentina remains vulnerable and hasn’t yet faced a true powerhouse.” he added, “neither switzerland in the quarterfinals nor england or norway in potential semifinal clashes pose a real threat to albiceleste’s progress, according to former defender Éric di meco. their path to the final is wide open. it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing style, but it works—and there’s no reason to change it.” for context, argentina shares the record for most extra-time victories in world cup history with 12 triumphs.

stronger than in 2022?

argentina’s 2022 world cup triumph in qatar was built on razor-thin margins. aside from a dominant 3-0 semifinal win over croatia, their other matches were nail-biters: a hard-fought 2-1 victory over australia in the round of 16, followed by two dramatic penalty shootout wins—against the netherlands in the quarterfinals (2-2, 4-3 t.a.b) and France in the final (2-2, 4-2 t.a.b). with angel di maria retired, the core of that championship team remains intact in 2026. “from the very first matches, i felt this team was just as strong as in 2022,” observed frank leboeuf. jerome rothen and Éric di meco believe the albiceleste is even “stronger than they were in qatar four years ago.”

the team’s cohesion and the form of their leaders are key factors. “messi is playing at a higher level than in his last world cup,” noted di meco. argentina has scored in every match so far, a feat powered by their 39-year-old maestro’s eight goals. however, souleymane diawara cautioned, “messi can’t save argentina forever. the day he’s neutralized, the team could collapse.” yet for an entire nation, the dream of a second consecutive world title burns brighter than ever.