Rivaldo praises Messi’s World Cup performance after Argentina’s win over Egypt
Brazil legend Rivaldo praised Lionel Messi and Argentina after their 2-1 win over Egypt in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Messi, aged 39, missed a first-half penalty but later assisted Romero's opening goal in the 79th minute, scored the equaliser four minutes later and helped set up the winning goal by Lautaro Martinez and Enzo Fernandez in the 93rd minute. Egypt had a disallowed goal overturned by VAR before the match ended.
For Nigerian football fans, the praise highlights that world-class performance is not limited by age, offering inspiration for veteran athletes locally. Egypt's exit ends Africa's record of having multiple teams advance deep in the tournament, shifting focus to the remaining African sides and showing the level of competition needed to progress.
Argentina will now face Switzerland in the quarter-finals. Fans can note how veteran players can still influence games, follow the upcoming quarter-final, and consider what qualities - resilience, teamwork, and clutch performances - African teams need to emulate to advance further in future World Cups.