Lionel Messi is 38 years old, was nearly eliminated from what is almost certainly his final World Cup, and responded by bending the match to his will in a span of minutes. The Argentina captain delivered a crossing assist to Cristian Romero in the 79th minute, then scored the equalizer himself at the 83rd minute, fueling a 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the round of 16 on July 7 in Atlanta.
Argentina had trailed 2-0 late in the game. They scored three goals in roughly the final 11 to 13 minutes of regulation and stoppage time. If you turned the match off at the 75th minute, you missed one of the most dramatic sequences in World Cup history.
The Messi effect, on the pitch and on-chain
That equalizer was Messi’s 21st career World Cup goal, a record he continues to extend with every appearance. He now has 8 goals and 2 assists in the 2026 tournament alone.
The $ARG fan token, a sports-linked digital asset tied to Argentina’s national football brand, saw increased trading volumes correlating directly with the team’s dramatic win.
