2026 World Cup, Lautaro Martinez: “Lionel Messi? Seeing him run like that…”

Lautaro Martinez praises Argentina’s response following their extraordinary comeback against Egypt, highlighting the team’s character and strength in the face of adversity. “I haven’t seen anything like what we did tonight in a long time. Personally, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way. Being down 0-2 with just a few minutes left, against an opponent that put us in a tough spot—one that played very physically, stole the ball from us many times, and frequently launched counterattacks—is further proof of this team’s character, humility, and spirit of sacrifice.”

The Inter forward then dedicated a special thought to Lionel Messi, the star and linchpin of the Selección: “Seeing Messi run like that, trying to surpass himself every day… I told him right there on the field. Let him cry, because he deserves it. He’s our leader. This team never gives up; it keeps trying until the very end. During halftime, Scaloni told us: ‘Until the very end, with what we have.’ We’d created chances, but we hadn’t managed to convert them. In the end, by keeping at it, the door opened. It was a huge relief, an indescribable feeling.”