What Argentina pulled off last night may be nothing short of a miracle. After staying behind 0-2 for 78 minutes, Lionel Messi’s team scored 3 goals in 13 minutes to qualify for the quarter-finals. In the Round of 16 match, Egypt fought like lions but ultimately fell to incredible grit.
Social media users from all over the world can’t keep calm. They keep posting about Argentina’s unbelievable comeback and their magician, Lionel Messi.
One heartfelt post came from a Brazilian fan. Brazil and Argentina are archrivals on the field.
“What envy for Argentina. Our brothers have a genius, who wears the shirt with grit and love, and carries the team toward glory. Missed the penalty? Doesn't matter, the game's not over. Down 2-0? Doesn't matter, the game's not over,” the user wrote.
“As long as he wears his country's shirt, he gives it his all. And delivers. He delivered yet another goal, an assist, and a historic qualification that will be remembered forever. All that's left is to revere. All that's left is to admit. All that's left is to accept. Argentina has an absolutely gigantic genius. Lionel Messi: Thank God, I got to see you play,” the user added.
Many football fans spoke about Messi’s goal, the equaliser. They wondered how he had kept it in the target.
“What’s that technique Messi used in striking that second goal? It’s like he brushed it with the outside of his foot to keep it low, from that range, bro? What the actual f*ck???” commented one of them.
“Explain to me how Messi has kept this down? Most footballers will sky it, given the proximity of the goal and the players. TF man,” exclaimed another fan.
“This is genuinely the first time I’ve seen Lionel
One social media user commented, “First time I have seen Scaloni react to a goal and obviously it was scored by Messi.”
“Imagine being so good that people start believing the whole sport is rigged and designed for you to win,” came from another.
Of course, there have been comments about the entire game.
“Lionel Messi is in tears at full-time. Despite winning it all he still has this crazy passion for the game,” wrote one user.
One Cristiano Ronaldo fan wrote, “Talk about football, not about absurd nonsense. And look, I'm a huge Cristiano Ronaldo fan, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the football of another beast.”
“There was a time when some lunatics said that Messi didn't care about defending the Argentina shirt, that playing for the national team meant nothing to him...What we're seeing is a 39-year-old player, exhausted, coming off 120 minutes, saving a completely unstructured team, in a decisive World Cup match, playing with the grit of someone fighting for a plate of food,” came from another user.
The Argentina vs Egypt match, however, had its share of controversies. Egypt have publicly spoken about their utter dissatisfaction with the refereeing standards. They have also accused FIFA of bias for Argentina.
On social media, nevertheless, the opinions are divided. Some think that Mohamed Salah was fouled in the Argentine penalty box just before Argentina scored the winning goal.
One user wrote, “So no VAR for a penalty on this? But Egypt had a goal wiped away due to a very minor foul a full minute prior. FIFA is corrupt, and there’s no debate who they’re favouring: Messi.”
“Incredible Egyptian goal is disallowed because of a foul far away, then the same situation a few minutes later and a goal for Argentina is not disallowed! No VAR, nothing? FIFA again looks like a corrupt joke, playing favourites for stars,” wrote Chess legend Garry Kasparov.
Others argue that the Argentine defender fairly won the ball.
“Salah walks into the defender and the ball gets knocked out first, if you think it’s a foul, you need help, my friend,” wrote one fan.
“Alvarez wins the ball first, Salah gets nutmegged, the ball is behind him, and he clatters his foot onto Alvarez as Alvarez is progressing play. Not a foul in a million years. Referee got it spot on,” wrote another fan.
