World Cup 2026: Argentina knock out Egypt 3-2 in the round of 16

Argentina booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup by beating Egypt 3-2 on Tuesday, July 7, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in the round of 16. After falling behind in the 15th minute to Yasser Ibrahim’s opening goal, the South American side turned the match around with three second-half goals.

The match was a duel between tournament favorite Argentina, the defending champion, and an Egypt team that pushed the runners-up to their limits. Under the direction of French referee François Letexier, the game delivered a spectacle full of twists, turns and intensity.

Egypt, set up in a 4-4-2 by coach Hossam Hassan, quickly took the lead through Yasser Ibrahim, well supplied by Marwan Attia in the 15th minute. But Argentina, true to the 4-1-3-2 system orchestrated by Lionel Scaloni, found a response. Lionel Messi played a key role, providing an assist for Cristian Romero in the 79th minute before scoring himself after a pass from Gonzalo Montiel in the 83rd. Late on, Enzo Fernández sealed the score in the 90+2nd minute from a Lisandro Martínez delivery.

Egypt were far from outclassed during the match. Mostafa Ziko scored the Egyptian equalizer in the 67th minute, after Argentina’s opener, and goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir made four important saves. However, despite disciplined defending and constant pressing, the Egyptians eventually gave way to Argentina’s collective control, as they dominated possession (65%) and made the most of their chances in the box.

The match was also marked by several tactical changes. Argentina brought on Nicolás Tagliafico in place of Nicolás González as well as Rodrigo De Paul for Lisandro Martínez in the 66th minute, strengthening their solidity in midfield. For Egypt, Hossam Hassan replaced Haissem Hassan with Mahmoud Trézéguet and introduced Zizo in the second half. No red cards were shown, but six cautions were issued during the match, including several to Egyptian players late on.

Argentina continue their run with a solid block and Messi as playmaker-in-chief

Argentina operated in a 4-1-3-2, a compact tactical setup that allowed them to combine midfield control with attacking efficiency. Leandro Paredes played a crucial role in front of the defense, helping the ball move with 90% passing accuracy. Lionel Messi, the captain and emblematic figure, repeatedly took the initiative, maintaining a constant presence in attacking areas. Alongside Julián Álvarez, the attacking duo made the difference at key moments. The defense, led by Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martínez, held firm against the opposition’s attacks despite a few genuine threats.

Egypt push the world champions to the limit despite elimination

Egypt, in a classic 4-4-2 formation, showed strong defensive cohesion and an ability to compete for the ball. Mostafa Shobeir produced a string of decisive saves to limit Argentina’s impact. Marwan Attia and Emam Ashour drove the play, while the attack featuring Mohamed Salah and Mostafa Ziko found the net twice. Despite the elimination, Egypt’s performance confirmed their competitiveness on the world stage, with a solidity and determination that kept them in the match until the final minute.

Argentina

Finished 3-2 Atlanta Stadium

Egypt

07/07/2026 17:00 · Round of 16

Fil du match

1. 15'⚽But - Y. Ibrahim (passe M. Attia)Égypte, 15e
2. 46'↑↓Remplacement - E. Ashour (remplace H. Fathy)Égypte, 46e
3. 58'VARVAR - M. ZikoÉgypte, 58e
4. 66'↑↓Remplacement - N. Tagliafico (remplace N. Gonzalez)Argentine, 66e
5. 66'↑↓Remplacement - R. de Paul (remplace L. Martinez)Argentine, 66e
6. 67'⚽But - M. Ziko (passe H. Hassan)Égypte, 67e
7. 73'↑↓Remplacement - N. Molina (remplace G. Montiel)Argentine, 73e
8. 73'↑↓Remplacement - H. Hassan (remplace Trezeguet)Égypte, 73e
9. 79'⚽But - C. Romero (passe L. Messi)Argentine, 79e
10. 80'↑↓Remplacement - M. Ziko (remplace O. Marmoush)Égypte, 80e
11. 83'⚽But - L. Messi (passe G. Montiel)Argentine, 83e
12. 90+2'⚽But - E. Fernandez (passe L. Martinez)Argentine, 90+2e
13. 90+3'Carton jaune - M. ShobeirÉgypte, 90+3e
14. 90+4'Carton jaune - H. FathyÉgypte, 90+4e
15. 90+5'↑↓Remplacement - C. Romero (remplace N. Otamendi)Argentine, 90+5e
16. 90+5'↑↓Remplacement - J. Alvarez (remplace F. Medina)Argentine, 90+5e
17. 90+6'↑↓Remplacement - M. Lasheen (remplace Zizo)Égypte, 90+6e
18. 90+8'Carton jaune - M. AttiaÉgypte, 90+8e
19. 90+9'Carton jaune - H. HassanÉgypte, 90+9e

Les chiffres du match

• Tirs cadres : Argentina 5 / Egypt 2
• Tirs : Argentina 16 / Egypt 4
• Possession : Argentina 65% / Egypt 35%
• Corners : Argentina 5 / Egypt 1
• Fautes : Argentina 11 / Egypt 9
• Passes : Argentina 520 / Egypt 288
• Precision des passes : Argentina 90% / Egypt 84%
• xG : Argentina 2.43 / Egypt 0.89

Joueurs clés

• Mostafa Ziko (Egypt) : note 7.7, 1 but(s)
• Cristian Romero (Argentina) : note 7.6, 1 but(s)
• Yasser Ibrahim (Egypt) : note 7.6, 1 but(s)
• Mostafa Shobeir (Egypt) : note 8.2, 4 arret(s)
• Lionel Messi (Argentina) : note 7, 1 passe(s) decisive(s)

Round of 16 schedule

View full schedule

View match details for Canada - Morocco

04/07 Round of 16

Canada

Finished 0-3 NRG Stadium

Morocco

View match details for Paraguay - France

04/07 Round of 16

Paraguay

Finished 0-1 Lincoln Financial Field

France

View match details for Brazil - Norway

05/07 Round of 16

Brazil

Finished 1-2 MetLife Stadium

Norway

View match details for Mexico - England

06/07 Round of 16

Mexico

Postponed 01:00 Estadio Banorte

England

View match details for Portugal - Spain

06/07 Round of 16

Portugal

Finished 0-1 Dallas Stadium

Spain

View match details for United States - Belgium

07/07 Round of 16

United States

Finished 1-4 Lumen Field

Belgium

View match details for Argentina - Egypt

07/07 Round of 16

Argentina

Finished 3-2 Atlanta Stadium

Egypt

View match details for Switzerland - Colombia

07/07 Round of 16

Switzerland

Upcoming 21:00 Vancouver Stadium

Colombia