​The 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final lineup is now set, following a Round of 16 that delivered a torrent of drama, heartbreak, and unforgettable moments. Alongside the three co-host nations, Brazil and Portugal were knocked out in the second knockout round, while heavyweights such as Argentina and England narrowly dodged the same fate. Read on as we recount the standout moments from another exhilarating day in North America.
Argentina again took the hard road this summer, yet they managed to pull off one of the greatest comebacks in knockout history to defeat Egypt 3-2 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Albiceleste had already unsettled fans with a tense performance against Cape Verde in the Round of 16, but Tuesday’s match pushed the nation’s nerves to new heights, with Lionel Messi playing a central role in the chaos in Atlanta. Egypt’s Yasser Ibrahim opened the scoring with a superb header in the 15th minute, and Messi misfired from the penalty spot in the 21st, becoming the first player in World Cup history to miss four penalties. When Ziko extended Egypt’s lead to 2-0 in the 67th minute, it looked as though the defending champions would bow out abruptly. Yet Lionel Scaloni’s side refused to go down without a fight, digging deep to overturn the deficit. Messi assisted Cristian Romero for Argentina’s first in the 79th minute, then equalized with a blistering volley four minutes later, before Enzo Fernandez sealed the late comeback in stoppage time. The tears Messi shed at the final whistle captured the raw emotion of an extraordinary turnaround, one of the most remarkable wins in World Cup lore. Argentina advance to a quarter-final against Switzerland, while Egypt left with the bitter taste of a near-miss that will haunt them for some time.
In a separate Round of 16 shock, Spain spoiled Cristiano Ronaldo’s pursuit of a final World Cup triumph by denying Portugal with a stoppage-time 1-0 victory courtesy of Mikel Merino’s late strike. The result signaled an abrupt end to Ronaldo’s hopes of lifting the trophy in his final overseas campaign and marked a sour note for Portugal’s campaign. On the managerial front, Roberto Martinez has confirmed his departure from Portugal, choosing to part ways with the European champions after a roller-coaster tenure at the helm. Martinez succeeded Fernando Santos after Portugal’s quarter-final exit in Qatar and led the team to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, where they were ousted by France. He also steered Portugal to victory in the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League, a trophy that offered a momentary consolation amid on-field disappointments. Yet after another major-tournament setback, the 52-year-old administrator recognized that a new voice was needed to guide the next phase of the project. “It is the end of the cycle, and it’s important to have a new voice now,” Martinez stated as he prepared to hand the baton to a successor and begin a fresh chapter for Portuguese football.