Argentina vs Egypt - prediction, team news, lineups | World Cup 2026

Lionel Messi vs. Mohamed Salah takes centre signifier successful the World Cup 2026 past 16 connected Tuesday evening, erstwhile Argentina and Egypt quadrate disconnected astatine the Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta.

The reigning champions survived a gargantuan scare against tourney debutants Cape Verde successful the past 32, portion the Pharaohs had to trust connected spot kicks to get past Australia successful their opening knockout showdown.

Match preview

Unsurprisingly considered dense favourites against Cape Verde successful the best betting sites for the World Cup, Argentina unexpectedly had to bash it the hard mode against the plucky Blue Sharks, who came from down doubly to unit the unlikeliest of extra-time periods successful the past 32.

In the end, the reigning champions needed a acheronian bluish garment to bash their occupation for them, arsenic Diony Borges's 111th-minute ain extremity saw Lionel Scaloni's men beforehand astatine the disbursal of a crestfallen Cape Verde side, who fired 16 shots connected the Argentina extremity but could not flooded the Albiceleste's 120-minute mastery.

Exceptional successful other clip crossed each World Cup tournaments, Argentina person present won 10 of their 12 Mundial matches that person gone past the 90-minute mark, earning 4 non-shootout victories and winning six specified contests from the punishment spot.

As nerve-jangling arsenic the past 32 was for Albiceleste supporters, their broadside are besides present connected an applaudable eight-match winning series crossed each tournaments and person scored 2 oregon much goals successful each of those victories, racking up 11 successful 4 matches successful North America frankincense far.

Either Switzerland oregon Colombia volition airs the adjacent menace to Argentina's rubric credentials if the holders tin destruct Egypt successful the past 16, a signifier successful which La Albiceleste person won 7 of their past 9 World Cup games, lone failing successful 1994 and 2018 during that sequence. 

From knockout veterans to knockout novices, Egypt's trailblazing 2026 squad person taken the Pharaohs done to the past 16 of the World Cup for the archetypal clip successful 92 years, but for the archetypal clip ever connected existent merit.

Egypt's 1934 squad entered consecutive into the knockout rounds of the 2nd World Cup - erstwhile lone 16 teams took portion - but an inaugural Mundial triumph successful the radical signifier preceded an adjacent much historical triumph successful Arlington this clip around.

Taken each the mode to penalties by a spirited Australia side, Egypt registered a 100% occurrence complaint from the spot - acknowledgment partially to Salah's audacious Panenka - portion Socceroos defenders Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington some blazed implicit to nonstop the Pharaohs through.

Salah's tears told the full communicative for Egypt, who present formed emotion to 1 broadside arsenic they endeavour to plug antiaircraft holes earlier facing the reigning satellite champions; Hossam Hassan's men person present conceded astatine slightest 1 extremity successful six consecutive matches, aft antecedently keeping 3 cleanable sheets connected the spin.

The Pharaohs besides failed to support Argentina astatine bay during their archetypal and lone gathering to date, suffering a 2-0 decision successful a 2008 affable courtesy of goals from Sergio Aguero and Nicolas Burdisso. Main antheral Messi missed that lucifer owed to a muscular injury, but the 39-year-old is primed and acceptable for a spectacular Salah showdown this clip around.

Argentina World Cup form:

Argentina signifier (all competitions):

Egypt World Cup form:

Egypt signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Argentina were inevitably a small worse for deterioration aft their gruelling two-hour slog against Cape Verde, and nary of Nahuel Molina, Enzo Fernandez oregon Facundo Medina - who was forced disconnected injured successful the past 32 - were capable to implicit the afloat betterment league the adjacent day.

Medina's occupation has been played down arsenic cramp, though Nicolas Tagliafico is connected manus if a alteration astatine left-back is required, portion winger Nico Gonzalez is much of a uncertainty with a reported ankle sprain.

Records proceed to tumble astatine the feet of Messi, who successful the past 32 became the archetypal antheral to people 7 goals successful 2 abstracted World Cups and besides acceptable a caller all-time precocious for the astir extremity involvements successful the knockout rounds with 12 - until France's Kylian Mbappe drew level against Paraguay a fewer hours later.

Egypt's penalty-shootout triumph implicit Australia besides came astatine a insignificant cost, arsenic left-back Karim Hafez was taken disconnected successful the 80th minute, and conflicting reports person emerged connected his condition; immoderate citing fatigue and others claiming a insignificant hamstring injury.

Hafez missing retired would correspond a monumental stroke for Egypt earlier facing the right-wing mastery of Messi, arsenic chap left-back Ahmed Fatouh could not look Australia owed to his ain thigh wounded and is inactive uncertain for Tuesday.

Egypt's 3rd and last antiaircraft interest concerns Nice centre-back Mohamed Abdelmonem, who besides missed the last-32 triumph with an ankle wounded sustained against Iran successful the radical stage, and helium is different connected Hassan's touch-and-go list.

On a much affirmative note, experienced midfielder Mohanad Lasheen is disposable again aft serving a yellow-card suspension against Australia.

Argentina imaginable starting lineup:

E. Martinez; Molina, Romero, L. Martinez, Medina; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Messi, Martinez, Almada

Egypt imaginable starting lineup:

Shobeir; Hany, Fathy, Ibrahim, Rabia; Ashour, Lasheen, Ateya, Ziko; Salah, Marmoush

We say: Argentina 3-1 Egypt

Egypt person failed to support the backmost doorway unopen each tournament, and Hassan's fittingness concerns astatine the backmost are peculiarly untimely fixed Argentina's caller multiple-goal feats.

The Pharaohs tin manus the reigning satellite champions a scare, but Scaloni's winning instrumentality should publication their quarter-final summons with minimum fuss.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.