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Former England skipper David Beckham paid an emotional tribute to Lionel Messi after the Argentina captain inspired his side's thrilling comeback victory over Egypt, praising not only the World Cup legend's brilliance on the pitch but also his character away from football.
Beckham, the co-owner and president of Inter Miami CF, shared two Instagram stories after Argentina's dramatic FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 triumph, celebrating the player he spent years persuading to join the Major League Soccer club in one of the biggest transfers in football history. "This is one very special Human. Not just because of what he does on the pitch but who he is off it," Beckham wrote alongside a picture of Messi. In another story, the former England captain shared another image of the Argentine superstar with the caption, "Nothing more to say." Beckham and Messi have developed a close professional relationship through Inter Miami, where Beckham played a key role in bringing the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner to the United States with a landmark deal that also included an equity stake in the franchise. Messi once again justified that admiration by leading Argentina to a remarkable 3-2 comeback victory after the defending champions had fallen 2-0 behind against Egypt. Egypt stunned Argentina when Yasser Ibrahim headed home in the 15th minute before goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir frustrated Messi and his teammates with a string of outstanding saves, including denying the Argentina captain from the penalty spot. Mostafa Ziko doubled Egypt's advantage in the 67th minute, leaving Argentina on the brink of elimination. The comeback began when Cristian Romero headed in Messi's free-kick in the 79th minute. Four minutes later, Messi levelled the contest with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area before Enzo Fernandez completed the turnaround with a stoppage-time winner to send Argentina into the quarter-finals. Messi's equaliser added another chapter to his extraordinary World Cup career. The 39-year-old became the first player in history to score in nine consecutive FIFA World Cup matches and increased his tally in the ongoing tournament to eight goals, his highest return in a single World Cup edition. The strike also extended Messi's all-time World Cup record to 21 goals. According to Opta, he became the first player to score in six successive World Cup knockout-stage matches and equalled Guillermo Stabile's Argentina record of eight goals in a single World Cup, set in 1930. Despite his match-defining display, Messi also registered an unwanted milestone after his first-half penalty was saved by Shobeir. It marked the second penalty he has missed during the ongoing tournament, making him the first player to miss two penalties in a single FIFA World Cup edition, excluding shootouts. His four career World Cup penalty misses are also the most by any player. Argentina's dramatic victory booked a quarter-final meeting with Switzerland as Lionel Scaloni's side continued its bid to retain the FIFA World Cup title. (ANI)
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