Three Goals in 11 Minutes and a 72-Year Wait Ended — Day 4 Was Pure Knockout Stage Energy

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 is done — and the final day saved the most jaw-dropping drama for last. Messi missed a penalty. Argentina went 2-0 down before scoring three goals in 11 minutes to win 3-2. And Switzerland ended a 72-year quarter-final wait in a shootout that went right to the very last kick. Two matches. Both are completely unmissable.

The quarter-finals are set. And they are going to be extraordinary.

Argentina 3-2 Egypt: Belief, Brilliance and Messi's Record Goal Rewarded Argentina With a Quarter-Final

For 79 minutes Egypt were on course for the biggest upset of the entire FIFA 2026 tournament. Argentina — the defending world champions — were 2-0 down. Messi had missed a penalty. And Egyptian goalkeeper Moustafa Shoubier was having the match of his life.

It started in the 15th minute — Yasser Ibrahim rose at the back post from a corner and headed past Emiliano Martínez. 1-0 Egypt. First time Argentina had been behind in the whole tournament. Then Messi stepped up for a penalty in the 21st minute and Shoubier dived right and saved it brilliantly. The stadium went completely silent.

Egypt defended with everything they had. Shoubier denied Álvarez from close range. He tipped a curling Messi free kick around the post. An Álvarez effort struck the post. Argentina could not find a way through no matter what they tried.

Then Mostafa Zico drove from midfield and fired across Martínez into the far corner in the 67th minute. 2-0 Egypt. Twenty minutes left. The Egyptian fans inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium were absolutely living their best lives.

What happened next was the 11 most dramatic minutes of the entire FIFA World Cup 2026.

79th — Cristian Romero attacked a Messi corner and deflected it past Shoubier. 2-1. The whole atmosphere changed in an instant.

83rd — Enzo Fernández played Messi in behind the defence. One touch. Left foot. Bottom corner. 2-2. His 21st World Cup goal. Another all-time record broken. The whole world stopped for a second.

90+2 — Fernández arrived into the box from Lautaro Martínez's pull-back and drove it first-time into the net. 3-2 Argentina. Three goals in 11 minutes. The comeback was complete.

Egypt went home as genuine heroes — Shoubier was outstanding and they came agonisingly close to a quarter-final. But Messi and Argentina found a way — as they always seem to. He now leads the FIFA 2026 Golden Boot race with eight goals. Argentina faces Switzerland on Saturday in Kansas City. After today, that quarter-final suddenly looks very open.

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Switzerland 0-0 Colombia (4-3 on Penalties): 72 Years of Waiting — Over in Vancouver

After Argentina's thriller, Switzerland and Colombia gave us 120 goalless minutes followed by a shootout that went right down to the wire. Neither side could break through — the closest moment coming when Jaminton Campaz found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Gregor Kobel in extra time and somehow fired it over the bar from a position that looked certain to score. Colombia's best chance. Gone.

Then penalties. Granit Xhaka opened for Switzerland — straight down the middle, no drama. Quintero matched it for Colombia. Then Davinson Sánchez drove Colombia's second onto the crossbar. Switzerland immediately capitalised — Zeki Amdouni made it 2-1.

Akanji missed Switzerland's third to keep Colombia alive. Then Kobel flew to his right to deny Cucho Hernández — one of the saves of the entire tournament. Switzerland 3-2 up. Cedric Itten slotted down the middle to make it 3-2. Luis Díaz kept Colombia breathing — a composed finish to make it 3-3.

Then substitute Rubén Vargas stepped up and tucked the winning kick into the bottom left corner. 4-3 Switzerland. The quarter-finals for the first time since 1954. Seventy-two years of waiting ended in the most dramatic way possible in Vancouver.

Switzerland now faces Argentina in Kansas City — and after watching the world champions struggle today, the Swiss will genuinely believe they can cause an upset.

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Messi missed a penalty then broke the all-time record. Argentina came back from 2-0 in 11 minutes. Switzerland ended a 72-year wait in a dramatic shootout. The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 delivered eight extraordinary nights — and the quarter-finals are going to be even better.

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