Zlatan Ibrahimovic has delivered a direct message to the Argentina national team, cautioning that Lionel Messi cannot continue to single-handedly carry the side despite his extraordinary showings at the World Cup. The Inter Miami icon produced another masterclass in a thrilling 3-2 comeback against Egypt, but Ibrahimovic insists that his teammates must shoulder more responsibility to ease the pressure on their captain.

Ibrahimovic hails Messi as an 'animal'

Messi once again showcased why many regard him as the greatest of all time, inspiring Argentina to a stunning turnaround victory over Egypt in the World Cup Round of 16. Trailing 2-0 in Atlanta, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner sparked the fightback by assisting Cristian Romero, then equalising himself before Enzo Fernandez netted a stoppage-time winner. Ibrahimovic, clearly impressed by his former Barcelona colleague, described the transformation he witnessed during the game.

Speaking on Fox Sports, Ibrahimovic observed a noticeable shift in Messi’s intensity when Argentina faced elimination. “You could see something changed. When it was 2-0, he flipped a switch. He turned into an animal and no one could stop him,” Ibrahimovic said. “You can see how much it still means to him. He may have won everything, all those Ballon d’Or awards, but he still hungers for more.”

A warning for Argentina's supporting cast

Despite the emotional scenes after the final whistle, where a tearful Messi was surrounded by his teammates, Ibrahimovic delivered a pointed critique of the rest of the squad. The Swedish legend argued that the defending champions are relying too heavily on their 39-year-old talisman, who continues to outperform every other player in the tournament. Messi currently tops the Golden Boot standings with eight goals, ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, who have both scored seven.

Ibrahimovic stressed that Argentina cannot expect Messi to rescue them in every knockout round. “To be a little critical, his teammates need to step up more and help. He’s on another level. If Messi continues like this until the end, nobody will be surprised. But he needs help,” he added.

Thierry Henry joins in praise for the magician

Thierry Henry, who was alongside Ibrahimovic on the broadcast, was equally captivated by Messi’s ability to defy age and expectations on the global stage. The Inter Miami forward has now scored 21 World Cup goals throughout his career, surpassing legends such as Miroslav Klose and maintaining his lead over French star Kylian Mbappe, who has 19. Henry compared Messi’s career to a cinematic masterpiece that feels almost unreal.

“If you write that script, it’s the kind of film you’d think can’t be true. You’d say the director went too far,” Henry said during the broadcast. “But Messi writes like that — he writes history with his feet.”

Following the comeback against Egypt, Messi’s international record now stands at an astounding 125 goals in 204 appearances for Argentina.

Road to the quarter-finals

Argentina will now focus on their quarter-final tie against Switzerland in Kansas City on Saturday. The Swiss booked their place after a dramatic penalty shootout triumph over Colombia and will pose the next test for Lionel Scaloni’s team as they aim to defend their World Cup crown. Messi acknowledged the challenges faced so far, praising the determination and fighting spirit of the group after their comeback in Georgia.

“It got tough at 0-2, and it was thrilling to turn it around,” Messi said post-match. “It’s not easy to come back from two goals down, but this group never gives up and fights until the end. What we achieved today in this knockout round is unbelievable.”

If Argentina advance, they could face either England or Norway in the semi-finals — a mouth-watering prospect for fans around the world.