Leandro Paredes has shed light on the emotional scenes that followed Argentina's 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the World Cup Round of 16. After the match, Argentina players hoisted Lionel Messi into the air at the final whistle—a gesture more commonly associated with lifting silverware.
Messi inspires comeback against Egypt
Messi was central to the turnaround against Egypt, setting up Cristian Romero before converting the equaliser himself as Argentina fought back to secure their place in the next round. The victory kept their title defence alive in a dramatic knockout match.
Paredes explains the celebration
Speaking to TNT Sports Argentina, as quoted by Albiceleste Talk, Paredes explained that the moment was driven by genuine affection for Messi rather than any pre-planned celebration. “Lifting Messi after the game? We wanted to embrace him and make him feel that we'll stay by his side until the very end. For us, having him with us is an enormous added value,” Paredes said.
The midfielder went further, revealing that the squad is deeply aware that Messi could be playing his last game for the national team any time soon. “We also play for him, because we don't want the day to come when this is his last match with us,” he added.
Argentina's quarter-final opponent
As noted by FIFA, Argentina will face Switzerland in the quarter-final after the Red Crosses beat Colombia on penalties. The Swiss side advanced after a tense shootout, setting up a clash with the defending champions.
Messi's emotions after the win
Legit.ng previously reported that Lionel Messi explained why he was emotional after Argentina battled to a comeback victory over Egypt. The captain missed a penalty earlier and was relieved to see his team win the game, exonerating him of the guilt of letting his teammates down.
