David Beckham, former England captain and co-owner of Inter Miami CF, paid an emotional tribute to Lionel Messi after the Argentina captain inspired a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16. Beckham praised not only Messi's brilliance on the pitch but also his character away from football.
Beckham's Tribute on Instagram
Beckham shared two Instagram stories following Argentina's dramatic win. Alongside a picture of Messi, he wrote: "This is one very special Human. Not just because of what he does on the pitch but who he is off it." In another story, he shared another image with the caption: "Nothing more to say."
Argentina's Remarkable Comeback
Argentina, the defending champions, fell 2-0 behind against Egypt. Yasser Ibrahim headed home in the 15th minute, and Mostafa Ziko doubled the lead in the 67th minute. Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir also saved a first-half penalty from Messi. The comeback began when Cristian Romero headed in Messi's free-kick in the 79th minute. Four minutes later, Messi levelled with a powerful strike from outside the box, and Enzo Fernandez scored a stoppage-time winner to send Argentina into the quarter-finals.
Messi's Record-Breaking Performance
At 39, Messi became the first player in history to score in nine consecutive FIFA World Cup matches. His equaliser increased his tally in the tournament to eight goals, his highest in a single World Cup edition. According to Opta, he extended his all-time World Cup record to 21 goals and became the first player to score in six successive World Cup knockout-stage matches. He also equalled Guillermo Stabile's Argentina record of eight goals in a single World Cup, set in 1930.
Penalty Miss Milestone
Despite his heroics, Messi also registered an unwanted milestone. His first-half penalty saved by Shobeir was the second penalty he has missed in the ongoing tournament, making him the first player to miss two penalties in a single FIFA World Cup edition, excluding shootouts. His four career World Cup penalty misses are the most by any player.
Quarter-Final Clash with Switzerland
Argentina's victory set up a quarter-final meeting with Switzerland as Lionel Scaloni's side continues its bid to retain the World Cup title.
