Lionel Messi delivered a vintage masterclass as Argentina staged a thrilling 3-2 comeback win over Egypt in the World Cup Round of 16 encounter on Tuesday. Trailing 2-0 late in the game in Atlanta, the defending champions, led by the Inter Miami superstar, rallied to advance.
After missing a penalty in the first half, Messi provided an assist to Cristian Romero in the 79th minute of the game to kickstart the comeback. He found the net himself to draw the game back to level terms just four minutes later, before Enzo Fernandes scored the winner in added time.
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Lionel Messi’s overall performance in the game, which left billions of fans around the world in awe, garnered attention beyond the soccer world. The NFL landscape couldn’t help but applaud the brilliance, prompting reactions from notable names like Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady.
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Mahomes, a known soccer enthusiast and Argentina supporter, took to social media to pay homage to the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback frequently expresses admiration for Messi’s genius and has witnessed his magic in person in the past.
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Brady, meanwhile, reacted to Lionel Messi’s performance with high praise, comparing it with his own historic Super Bowl comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons, where the New England Patriots sealed a 34-28 overtime win after trailing 28-3 in the third quarter.
The two iconic quarterbacks were joined by several other notable personalities to react to Argentina’s heroic comeback against Egypt.
Here’s a look at some of the reactions online:
Patrick Mahomes said he looks up to Lionel Messi in 2025
Ahead of Super Bowl LIX, Patrick Mahomes shared his feelings about Lionel Messi, who was billed to attend the Chiefs’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Speaking in the week leading up to the game in February 2025, the quarterback had high praise for the Inter Miami star.
“He’s the GOAT of his profession and to have someone like that at the game, it will be awesome because I’ll get to showcase who I am and what talent I have,” Mahomes said of Messi.
“I got to watch him when he played in Kansas City; I think it was last year or maybe a couple of years ago, and he had a couple of goals in that game. You see the greatness that he displays every single day.”
Patrick Mahomes briefly met Lionel Messi ahead of that game between Sporting Kansas City and Inter Miami as the team headed for pregame warmup on the field. The quarterback went on to speak about the encounter with Messi on the “Impaulsive,” confessing he was nervous.
Edited by Farouk Yusuf