Coach Pham Thanh Luong: 'Messi demonstrated exceptional class against Egypt'

The round of 16 encounter at the 2026 World Cup between Argentina and Egypt ended in a crazy, unforeseen scenario. Trailing 2-0 to the African team for nearly 70 minutes, the reigning champions seemed on the verge of elimination.

Yet, starting from the 79th minute, Lionel Messi and his teammates erupted with three straight goals, dramatically reversing the situation. Assessing this thrilling display, former legend Pham Thanh Luong stated that the number 10 superstar was the key catalyst for the miracle.

Offering an in-depth analysis of the game-changing tactical tweaks, Coach Pham Thanh Luong said: "Despite dominating possession and playing a high-pressing game, Argentina showed vulnerability in defensive height and pace. Egypt capitalized on this through rapid counter-attacks and direct vertical runs. Argentina's disarray was clear after conceding two goals. Yet, the turning point arrived late in the game when Lionel Messi deliberately altered his playing style.

Instead of staying in the penalty area, he moved wider to stretch the opposing defense. This change completely surprised Egypt's deep-lying unit and made them struggle to organize their man-marking.

As a result, Argentina fully exploited the gaps to find the net. Messi's moments of individual brilliance, ranging from assists to finishing in the final minutes, were clearly superior to everyone else. The upcoming test against Switzerland will undoubtedly be more fierce, as in the quarter-finals, any minor error will come at a heavy price."

From a defender's viewpoint, center-back Vu Van Son (SHB Da Nang Club) also showed immense respect for the tactical acumen of the 1987-born superstar: "For the first 70-plus minutes, Messi was positioned as a target man. In that role, he was constantly double-teamed, pressed, and completely cut off from his supporting players. Argentina's high-line pressing inadvertently compressed his operating space even more. Nevertheless, the poise of a genius is always demonstrated in the direst of situations.

Messi's initiative to drop deeper, willingly operating away from the penalty area to orchestrate play, shattered the opponent's plan to contain him. He stepped up at the crucial moment to make an unparalleled difference, dragging the entire Argentine squad through a tight spot."

Having passed this nerve-testing ordeal, the Argentine national team will now officially meet Switzerland in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals. Global fans are hoping that Argentina will continue to shine on their path to retaining the world crown.