I thought I had let the team down: Messi opens up on penalty miss

Lionel Messi admitted he feared he had let Argentina down after missing an early penalty in their dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16.

With Argentina trailing 2-0 until the 79th minute, Messi's missed spot-kick in the 19th minute appeared set to haunt the defending champions. However, Argentina staged a remarkable late fightback, with Messi scoring once and providing an assist to inspire one of the most memorable comebacks of the tournament.

Reflecting on the missed penalty after the match, the Argentine captain said he was deeply frustrated with himself.

"After missing the penalty, I was really angry with myself. The way I took it, I felt I had sunk the whole team."

Despite the setback, Messi praised his teammates for refusing to give up after falling two goals behind.

"Coming back from 2-0 down is never easy. I'm happy we've reached the next round, and even happier with the way we did it. Once it became 2-0, the situation was very difficult, but turning the game around made it an incredible journey."

The victory also marked a historic milestone for Argentina, who won a World Cup match after trailing by two or more goals for the first time in the nation's tournament history.

Messi credited the squad's resilience and unwavering belief for the comeback.

"This team has proved once again what I've said many times. I know these players, I know how they work. This group knows how to fight and keep believing. It's an honour to be alongside them, and we'll compete against anyone."

Argentina will now face Switzerland in the World Cup quarter-finals as they continue their bid to defend the title.