Inevitable is such a special word.
It is the definition of the unavoidable, the inescapable, something where, no matter what you try and do, you simply cannot prevent the outcome. It is the wall of fate crushing against you, without hope or desire.
But the word inevitable is also about the eternal because it is the ultimate act of strength that lives forever in the psyche of the recipient, knowing that what’s about to happen, will indeed occur and not only can you not stop it, you will never forget it.
That’s Lionel Messi. Eternal. Inevitable.
(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
The Argentina captain led his team to a remarkable, almost unbelievable comeback as the defending champion was 2-0 down against a heroic Egypt and achieved the ultimate remontada.
It was the performance of a man who, at 39 years old, does not know how to end a chapter. But I will also say that, Messi aside, this was also about his teammates and how their intoxicating efforts to unite and overcome adversity shined through. Messi was their hero, but this victory took an army to support him.
More on that in a moment.
On Tuesday in Atlanta, Egypt and Mohamed Salah — a legend in his land and beyond — fought like warriors and had this been a fairer story, perhaps we would have seen them as victors.
Hossam Hassan’s side deserved something out of this grueling battle. And there is an argument to be made about its disallowed goal and how it should have stood based on the run of play. But regardless, Egypt did score again and created a 2-0 lead, thanks to some mesmerizing counter-attacking work from the aforementioned Salah and Haissem Hassan, who quite literally gave it his all.
Then there’s the talking point of the actual performance. Argentina, once again — just like Cape Verde poetically highlighted and exploited — was not good. It lacked so much fluidity, and Messi was also struggling against a resilient defensive line and missed a penalty attempt, making him the first player in World Cup history to miss two penalties in a single tournament (outside of shootouts).
Egypt, leading 2-0, was staring at only 10 minutes remaining until it could reach its greatest ever victory and a historic spot in the quarterfinal stage. It could almost open the doors to the promised land. It was there for the taking, and had it ended in such a manner, no one would have criticized the win. We would have accepted the outcome, even Argentinians.
Mohamed Salah and Lisandro Martinez batted for possession during the 2026 World Cup round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
