Best World Cup comebacks ever: Where Argentina's stunning win over Egypt ranks in tournament history

Argentina was on the verge of elimination until the defending champions pulled off a magical comeback against Egypt to escape the Round of 16 with a 3-2 victory.

Lionel Messi's squad had trouble dealing with an Egyptian team that used counterattacks off a strong defense to create offensive chances. It seemed like Egypt had figured out how to slow down Messi and was prepared to pull off a massive upset.

However, Argentina found a few late goals, including Messi's equalizer in the 83rd minute, completing the latest comeback without extra time in World Cup history.

Facing a two-goal deficit is usually too big for any team to overcome in the World Cup, but Argentina wasn't fazed by the hole. Not only does Argentina keep its chances at a back-to-back championship alive, it made history in the process.

Here's where Argentina's comeback ranks in World Cup history.

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Best World Cup comebacks ever

Three-goal comebacks

1954: Austria 7-5 Switzerland

Austria's three-goal comeback over Switzerland in the 1954 quarterfinals was the first time a team had a multi-goal comeback in a World Cup knockout match. Switzerland took a 3-0 lead in the first 20 minutes of action. However, just a few minutes after that third goal, Austria scored three goals in two minutes to even the match, and Austria even had a 4-3 lead at halftime to take full control. In the end, Austria outscored Switzerland 7-2 in the last 70 minutes of action to move on to the next round.

1966: Portugal 5-3 North Korea

The only other three-goal comeback in the World Cup came in the 1966 quarterfinal, when Portugal scored five unanswered goals to defeat North Korea. North Korea scored three goals in the first 28 minutes, but Portugal immediately answered the third goal with the team's first to not only cut the deficit to 3-1, but halt the momentum as well. Portugal scored once more right before halftime, then dominated the second half with three straight goals to get the win.

MORE: Breaking down Lionel Messi's PK history

Two-goal comebacks

1954: West Germany 3-2 Hungary

Only once in World Cup history has a team overcome a multi-goal deficit to win the match, and it came all the way back in 1954. Hungary scored twice in the first few minutes to take a 2-0 lead, but West Germany bounced back with two goals in the next 10 minutes to tie the game at the 18-minute mark. The two sides played much of the game evenly until West Germany took the lead for good with a goal in the 84th minute.

1982: West Germany 3-3- (5-4 PKs) France

Twenty-eight years later, West Germany executed another two-goal comeback, this time against France in the 1982 semifinal. This match was different than most other comebacks, as it was tied 1-1 through 90 minutes and went to extra time. France scored twice in the first eight minutes of extra time, but West Germany chipped away with two goals before extra time expired, forcing penalty kicks. The PK shootout went six rounds, but West Germany eeked out France 5-4 to advance to the final.

2018: Belgium 3-2 Japan

Belgium's two-goal comeback over Japan in the 2018 Round of 16 was chaotic in of itself. The two sides were scoreless at halftime and appeared to be playing a low-scoring match, but Japan scored twice in four minutes early in the second half. Belgium then got its first goal at the 69th minute, then five minutes later tied the game at 2-2 with another goal. Belgium secured the win in stoppage time, when the team scored the winning goal right before regulation ended.

2026: Argentina 3-2 Egypt

Argentina made history at the 2026 World Cup with the latest multi-goal comeback without extra time in tournament history. The defending champions were down 2-0 through 78 minutes, but still came back after scoring their first goal at the 79th minute and after Lionel Messi tied the match at the 83rd minute. Argentina then won the game in stoppage time on an Enzo Fernandez goal.