Argentina vs Egypt – Match preview and team news

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The Football Faithful

7 July 2026

Argentina and

Egypt

meet for the first time in a

World Cup

match as they prepare for this crucial Round of 16 encounter on Tuesday at the Atlanta Stadium.

Argentina enters this high-stakes Round of 16 match battling physical exhaustion after a gruelling 120 minutes against Cape Verde.

Manager Lionel Scaloni faces defensive headaches as left-back Facundo Medina is highly doubtful after picking up a knock in the previous round.

Nicolas Tagliafico is expected to fill the void and start on the left side of the backline.

Further up the pitch, winger Nico Gonzalez remains a major doubt due to a persistent ankle injury.

The primary concern for the reigning world champions revolves around 39-year-old captain

Lionel Messi

, who played every minute of Friday’s extra-time marathon and faces a massive recovery test.

Additionally, Scaloni is contemplating tactical rotations rather than injury-enforced changes, with Nahuel Molina and Thiago Almada potentially dropping to the bench following a dip in form as

Argentina

looks to refresh its lineup.

Egypt manager Hossam Hassan faces a severe selection crisis after his squad endured a tense, 120-minute penalty shootout victory over Australia.

The Pharaohs are completely depleted on the defensive left flank, with both Ahmed Fatouh and Ahmed El Fotouh officially ruled out due to muscle and hamstring tears, respectively.

To make matters worse, backup option Karim Hafez is a major doubt after straining a muscle in the last match, forcing a defensive reshuffle.

Centre-back Mohamed Abdelmonem is also carrying an ankle knock and faces a late fitness test.

On a positive note, midfielder Mohanad Lasheen returns to the starting lineup after serving a one-match suspension.

Mohamed Salah also managed 120 minutes while nursing a minor hamstring concern, but the Liverpool forward is confirmed to lead Egypt’s attack despite not being operating at one hundred per cent fitness.

Argentina enters the Round of 16 in dominant form, maintaining a perfect record through the group stage with three consecutive victories. Scoring an impressive 2.7 goals per game while shipping just a single goal, the reigning world champions have showcased formidable tactical balance. However, their flawless momentum was severely tested in the Round of 32. They narrowly escaped a monumental upset by debutants Cape Verde, scraping a tense 3-2 victory after extra time.

Egypt has engineered a historic, unbeaten run to reach its first-ever

knockout rounds. Operating as a cohesive defensive unit under Hossam Hassan, the Pharaohs navigated the group phase via a measured route of one victory and two draws. They proved their resilience in the Round of 32 against Australia, bouncing back from an own goal to secure a 4-2 penalty shootout triumph after a grinding 1-1 draw.

Argentina:

E. Martinez; Montiel, Romero, L. Martinez, Medina; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Paredes; Messi, Alvarez

Egypt:

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

In the United Kingdom, you can watch the

vs.

match live and free-to-air on ITV1.

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