Argentina and Egypt meet for just the second time in history in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, with their only previous meeting coming in 2008—a 2-0 win for the South Americans, a game Lionel Messi missed through injury.
Messi will be fit this time, and the Inter Miami star has again been Argentina’s difference-maker, scoring seven goals—63% of his team’s total.
Argentina’s quality goes beyond Messi, though. It has dominated possession (55%), boasts the tournament’s best passing accuracy (92%) and has conceded just three goals.
Egypt, meanwhile, has relied on resilience, winning just one game in 90 minutes and needing penalties to beat Australia in the Round of 16. Hossam Hassan’s side has impressed defensively, forcing 197 turnovers and applying 199 pressures, but its attack has struggled with only 17 shots on target.
Expect Argentina to control the ball, with Egypt looking to frustrate and counter.
