World Cup 2026 pages
Sports · World Cup 2026 · Round of 16
Argentinavs
Egypt
3–2
Full time · Tuesday, July 7, 2026 · 12:00 p.m. ET · Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Atlanta, GA
Result
Argentina came from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 in the round of 16, scoring three times in the last eleven minutes and stoppage time. Yasser Ibrahim's 15th-minute header and Mostafa Zico's 67th-minute finish had Egypt in control, and Mostafa Shoubir had saved Lionel Messi's 21st-minute penalty. But Cristian Romero headed in Messi's cross on 79, Messi levelled it on 83, and Enzo Fernández headed Lautaro Martínez's cross past Shoubir in the 92nd minute. Argentina, who had 63.6% of the ball and 19 shots to Egypt's five, advance to a Kansas City quarter-final against Switzerland or Colombia. Argentina advance to the quarter-finals.
Argentina 4-1-3-24-4-2 EgyptArgentinaSubstitutions
Attendance 68,239
At this Stage
Egypt had the lead the neutrals wanted and the two-goal cushion nobody predicted: Yasser Ibrahim's 15th-minute header and Mostafa Zico's break-away finish put a side in the World Cup round of 16 for the first time in over ninety years within a quarter-hour of the last eight — and Mostafa Shoubir had already saved Messi's penalty. Then the holders remembered themselves. Cristian Romero headed in Messi's cross on 79, Messi levelled it on 83, and Enzo Fernández nodded Lautaro Martínez's cross past Shoubir in the 92nd minute for a 3-2 escape that stunned Atlanta. Argentina go to Kansas City on July 12 to meet Switzerland or Colombia in the quarter-final; Egypt fly home with the story of the tournament and the cruelest ending to it.
Round of 32
Round of 16
Quarter-final
What I said beforehand
The preview, frozen at kickoff. Clearly dated, never rewritten — that's the deal that makes the predictions worth anything.
Argentina should have far too much, but Egypt will not make it comfortable. Scaloni's side control games through De Paul, Enzo Fernández and Mac Allister and still lean on Messi and Lautaro Martínez for the decisive moments, and Opta's model makes them near-70% favourites. Egypt are organised, hard to break down, and carry a genuine outlet in Salah and Marmoush on the counter — the kind of side that can hang around and make a favourite nervous. But Argentina are elite in the tight, late phases of knockout games, and the gap in squad quality is wide. 3-1 Argentina.
My locked pick: Argentina advance ✓ RIGHT
“Argentina to advance, probably comfortably. Scaloni's side have won all four matches so far — 3-0, 2-0 and 3-1 in Group J, then a 3-2 win over Cape Verde after extra time — and Opta's model makes them near-70% favourites with Messi in vintage form. Egypt ground their way here with three draws and a penalty shootout past Australia, and are missing defenders; they will likely sit deep and counter through Salah and Marmoush. Argentina to win by two.”
Locked 2026-07-06 11:25 UTC — rendered verbatim from the pick ledger; never a fresher, hedged version
The case for Argentina
69% to winArgentina are the most complete side left and the defending champions for a reason. Messi is in the form of the tournament, Lautaro Martínez gives them a genuine No. 9, and the De Paul–Enzo Fernández–Mac Allister midfield strangles most opponents. They have also been ruthless when knockout games stretch late, so even if Egypt frustrate them for an hour, Argentina usually find the pass or the set-piece that settles it.
The case for Egypt
12.3% to winEgypt do not need to win the game so much as keep it level and let Salah decide a moment. Hossam Hassan's side reached this stage by being organised and patient — three draws, then nerveless penalties against Australia — and in Salah and Omar Marmoush they have the pace to punish an Argentina defence that Cape Verde exposed twice. Frustrate Messi, take it deep, and anything can happen in a shootout.
Both cases written 2026-07-06, before kickoff — they freeze into the record exactly as written, however the match goes. The percentages are mine, quoted to a decimal because false precision is funnier — the unclaimed 18.7% belongs to the draw.
Storylines
- Argentina scored three times in the last eleven minutes and stoppage time to overturn a two-goal deficit — Cristian Romero (79'), Lionel Messi (83') and Enzo Fernández (90'+2') all struck after Mostafa Shoubir had saved Messi's first-half penalty.
- Egypt, in the World Cup round of 16 for the first time in over 90 years, led 2-0 through Yasser Ibrahim's header and Mostafa Zico's counter-attack finish before conceding three times late.
- Lionel Messi, 39, had a 21st-minute penalty saved but set up Romero's header and scored the equaliser himself; Enzo Fernández headed Lautaro Martínez's cross for the winner deep into stoppage time.
- Argentina reach the quarter-final in Kansas City on July 12, where they meet the winner of Switzerland vs Colombia; Egypt go home with the tournament's cruelest exit.
The coaches
Lionel Scaloni Argentina
The World Cup-winning coach keeps Argentina balanced around a De Paul–Enzo Fernández–Mac Allister core, with Messi free and Julián Álvarez alongside him up top.
Hossam Hassan Egypt
The Egypt great turned coach set his side up compact and disciplined, and had them within a quarter-hour of a first-ever quarter-final before the late collapse.
Availability
| Facundo Medina | Fit — named among the substitutes and came on in stoppage time; Tagliafico had started at left-back | Sports Mole / RotoWire |
| Nico González | Fit — came on for Nicolás Tagliafico on 66 minutes | Sports Mole / RotoWire |
| Karim Hafez | Started at left-back and played the full match | Sports Mole / RotoWire |
| Mohamed Abdelmonem | Out — an ankle injury sustained against Iran kept him out; he did not feature | Sports Mole / ESPN |
Availability drifts hourly in tournament week — every row carries its source and date for exactly that reason.
Weather: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta has a retractable roof, so conditions were a non-factor whatever the Georgia heat outside. (Venue fact (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta — retractable roof), as of 2026-07-06)
Referee: François Letexier (France). (ESPN match data (Match Officials) for Argentina 3-2 Egypt, gameId 760509; 7 Jul 2026., as of 2026-07-07)
Venue: Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Atlanta, GA, United States — FIFA strips sponsor names for the tournament; the everyday name is in parentheses.