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Tears of relief
Tears of relief? Messi adds another incredible chapter to World Cup career
Lionel Messi stood in the centre of Atlanta Stadium in floods of tears, sobbing on the shoulders of his team-mates, after adding another remarkable World Cup victory to the story of his incredible career.
Argentina's great sporting icon had been captured on the giant screens looking up in despair as the holders trailed Egypt 2-0 with less than 20 minutes left.
At that point, any tears Messi may have shed would have been the same as those of his great contemporary Cristiano Ronaldo, who made an emotional farewell to the World Cup after Portugal's injury-time loss to Spain.
Instead, this defiant Argentina decided that was simply not going to happen - scoring three goals in 14 minutes to turn the game around in one of the most remarkable comebacks the World Cup has ever seen.
Messi may be 39 and doing much of his work at walking pace these days, but the magic has not been dimmed by the passing of the years.
Messi watches. Messi waits. Messi conserves his energy for when it matters. The body may be slower but the brain remains razor sharp. The genius is permanent.
And he proved it once more in the most dramatic fashion on another spine-tingling World Cup occasion, pulling Argentina up from the canvas just as Egypt were about to add to this tournament's list of shocks.
Egypt led through goals in each half from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico – the latter of whom had an earlier goal ruled by the video assistant referee for a foul at the other end of the pitch - and keeper Mostafa Shobeir was in inspired form.
Messi even had a first-half penalty saved by Shobeir - the fourth of eight spot-kicks he has failed to score at a World Cup. Having missed against Austria, it also meant be became the only player - excluding shootouts - to fail to convert two penalties in a single World Cup.
But there was still time for Messi to again produce moments that shape a game to pull Argentina away from a World Cup exit to scenes of joy similar to those seen when they won the tournament in Qatar almost four years ago.
With only 11 minutes left, he crossed for Cristiano Romero to give Argentina hope with a header. Four minutes and 18 seconds later, Messi sent a left-footed shot flashing high past Shobeir and in off the bar.
Egypt had given everything, finally succumbing to Enzo Fernandez's header in stoppage time for the most heartbreaking of exits.
From the depths of despair, Messi was being tossed high into the air by his team-mates in front of Argentina's fans, who stayed in place long after the final whistle going through their full setlist of songs to a thudding drumbeat.
This is why Messi's Argentina colleagues are willing to sacrifice themselves when it comes to the donkey work. They know the master is waiting to win World Cup games for them.
Would Messi have been lost to the World Cup forever had Argentina lost?
He would be 43 - the oldest outfield player to play at a World Cup - if he carried on to the next, though the lure of games being played in his home country may have sustained him.
Instead, Messi can look forward to a quarter-final here against either Switzerland or Colombia.
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, watching in Atlanta for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: "That was incredible. Spectacular. Argentina were down and out. They were out of the tournament at one point.
"Egypt are so frustrated with the refereeing decisions that have gone against them. They had a second goal disallowed before they got their second goal for an infringement that was almost on their own touchline.
Then Lionel Messi just stepped in and took over. Beautiful assist, great finish for his goal, and then the substitutions worked for Argentina.
Argentina's recovery, and this was not simply the Messi show it should be said, also had implications for England who, when Egypt led, might just have believed it was a 'now or never' moment for reaching their first men's World Cup final since 1966.
England's path to the final was shaping up as Norway in the quarter-finals, then Egypt, Switzerland or Colombia in the last four if they got through.
Instead, there remains the shadow of Messi and Argentina as the potential obstacle should they overcome the dangerous Norwegians.
And Messi, even in advancing years, casts a giant shadow over any opponents, as Egypt found to their cost.
Messi became the first player in World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout-phase games and now has eight goals in this one. It is the most by a player in the opening five games since West Germany's Gerd Muller scored 10 in Mexico in 1970.
He has also contributed to 16 goals in his past nine World Cup games, with 13 goals and three assists.
England's concern will be he still has the power to add more. And looks in the mood to do so.
Argentina also remain a significant force - a typical mixture of silk and steel with Messi as the talisman.
Lionel Scaloni's side know that where there is Messi there is hope - but there is also an abundance of talent elsewhere, backed by an inherent hatred of defeat.
Argentina, as champions do, find a way to win - as they did when they finally overcame Cape Verde 3-2 in the last 32. Having Messi also helps.
This was the latest any country has ever been two goals down in a World Cup game and come back to win without needing extra time. Opta's win probability data gave Argentina only a 0.6% chance of winning at the time of Romero's goal.
Amid plenty of competition, especially the drama and emotion of England's 3-2 win against Mexico at the Azteca, this may just have been the best game of the World Cup so far.
And Messi's tears demonstrated that, even at 39, he is not immune to the emotions football can provoke.
Source: BBC
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