The former Brazilian midfielder highlighted the comeback of the Albiceleste against Egypt, praised Lionel Messi's mental strength, and stated that the Canarinha must regain that attitude to compete at the highest level again
The historic comeback of the Argentine National Team against Egypt that allowed them to qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup continues to generate repercussions. This time, who surrendered to Lionel Scaloni's team was Felipe Melo, who highlighted the character of the squad and the leadership of Lionel Messiin a critical moment.
Through a video posted on his social media, the former Brazilian midfielder explained which aspects impacted him the most about the Argentine team during the match held in Atlanta. "Two things stand out to me about this Argentina. The first is that it is a group that does not give up. At no point did they stop competing even when losing 2-0. At no point did they stop chasing, giving their all, leaving everything on the field, even though technically they started very poorly", he stated.
Melo also made a special mention of Lionel Messi, whom he pointed out as the main protagonist of the comeback despite missing a penalty during the match. The Brazilian emphasized the mental strength of the Argentine captainand his ability to overcome adversity.
"The second thing is Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players in the history of football. He missed a penalty and at no moment did he lose his composure. He cried, he was emotional. I am struck by the strong mentality he has. Despite the penalty he missed, he is the main reason for this heroic comeback of Argentina", he asserted.
The former Palmeiras player went even further by placing the Rosario native above other legends of world football. "At 39 years old, he still plays as if he were 25. That is Lionel Messi. Yes, I am talking about an Argentine. We need to stop talking about club loyalty and start talking about what really matters. Messi is the best player of all time that I have seen play. I didn't see Pelé, nor Zico. But Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Zidane, none were better than Messi", he claimed.
For Felipe Melo, Messi is the best of all time
Finally, Felipe Melo considered that the attitude shown by the Albiceleste should serve as inspiration for Brazilian football, which was eliminated prematurely from the World Cup. "Let this be an example for us. When we regain that grit and desire, we will be strong again", he concluded.
While Argentina is already thinking about the quarter-final clash against Switzerland, the reaction of Scaloni's team continues to awaken admiration even among historical figures from Brazil, their classic South American rival.
