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The Argentinian coach could not hold back tears after the exciting qualification
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni couldn’t hold back the tears after leading one of the most exciting comebacks in the history of the “Tango” tournament in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Egypt in the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Argentina trailed by two goals until the final minutes of the match when Cristian Romero started a comeback with a goal to reduce the deficit, then Lionel Messi equalized moments later before Enzo Fernandez grabbed the decisive winner in stoppage time to send his country through to the quarter-finals.
After the final whistle, Scalloni appeared live on TyC Sports, but he seemed unable to continue the conversation due to his extreme emotions, as he wiped away tears live on air, then apologized to the host and patted his arm before ending the interview, while shaking his head in a scene that reflected the emotion he experienced after the historic event.
Lionel Scaloni was emotional after Argentina’s incredible comeback 🥹🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/tAL2ayjp25
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) July 7, 2026
The match took place in a tense atmosphere after Egypt’s players and coaching staff protested a number of refereeing decisions, most notably their demand for a penalty to be awarded before the attack that led to Argentina’s winning goal.
Scalloni was not the only one to be overcome with emotion after the game, as Egypt striker Mostafa Zico broke down in tears during his announcement and attacked French referee Francois Lettxer, while Argentina captain Lionel Messi broke down in tears after the dramatic qualification.
At the press conference, Scaloni again spoke about his feelings and said: “What we achieved today is no less valuable than anything we have achieved with this team in the past.”
He continued. “I cried because I’m an emotional person, but this team will never leave the Argentinians. I’ve experienced the same pain as the fans, but that’s why I exist as a coach, to experience moments like this. For anyone who loves football, these feelings are priceless.”
