Argentina survived a major World Cup scare in Atlanta, coming from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 and reach the quarter-finals.
For much of the match, the defending champions looked close to elimination. Egypt led through Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko, while Argentina were left chasing the game after Lionel Messi missed a first-half penalty.
But the match changed late on. Cristian Romero pulled one back in the 79th minute, Messi equalised with a left-footed half-volley, and Enzo Fernández completed the comeback with a stoppage-time header.
According to Ryan Smart for SPORTbible, social media star iShowSpeed was in the crowd wearing an Egypt shirt and hoping to see Messi and Argentina knocked out.
Messi turns the match around
Messi’s evening had begun painfully. The Argentina captain had the chance to equalise from the penalty spot in the first half, but his effort was saved by Mostafa Shobeir.
It was his second penalty miss of the tournament, following an earlier failure from the spot against Austria. But Messi recovered in the second half, first helping Argentina back into the match before scoring the goal that made it 2-2.
Described by The Guardian, Egypt thought they had doubled their lead earlier in the second half, only for Ziko’s goal to be ruled out after VAR judged there had been a foul by Marwan Attia in the build-up.
Ziko did eventually make it 2-0, but Argentina’s late response changed everything.
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iShowSpeed’s reaction steals attention
The night also produced a viral moment in the stands.
iShowSpeed, the American streamer and well-known Cristiano Ronaldo supporter, was positioned behind the goal during Messi’s penalty. SPORTbible reported that he made several gestures before the kick, apparently trying to distract the Argentina captain.
When Messi missed, Speed celebrated. When Argentina completed the comeback, the mood changed completely.
After Fernández headed in the winner, Speed stood with both hands raised, visibly stunned as the Argentina fans around him celebrated.
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“What do I do?” he shouted.
The clip quickly spread across social media, helped by the contrast between Speed’s earlier excitement and his disbelief as Argentina escaped.
Record night with a bitter edge
Messi’s goal carried historical weight as well as emotional value.
According to SPORTbible, he became the first player in World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout-stage matches. The same article reported that he now leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals, one ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.
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The night came just 24 hours after Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal were eliminated by Spain, leaving Messi as the last remaining figure from football’s defining modern rivalry still alive in the tournament.
For Argentina, that added another layer to the comeback. They had looked beaten, but Messi’s recovery from his penalty miss once again gave them a route through.
FIFA investigation linked to separate Speed incident
The attention around iShowSpeed has also extended beyond his reaction in Atlanta.
According to The Associated Press, FIFA is investigating an alleged racist incident involving IShowSpeed and a fan during Argentina’s earlier match against Cape Verde.
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That incident was separate from the Egypt game, but it has added to the spotlight around the streamer’s presence at the World Cup.
For Argentina, the focus now turns to the quarter-finals. For Egypt, the defeat will be remembered as a painful collapse. And for iShowSpeed, a night that began with Messi missing from the spot ended with a viral moment of disbelief.
