FIFA World Cup

Round of 16

ARG Argentina Argentina - EGY Egypt Egypt

Argentina Argentina

Egypt Egypt

L. Messi
21'
15'
Y. Ibrahim

Atlanta Stadium(Sold out)

François Valentin Simon Letexier

90'

+ 12

Yellow card

Haissem Hassan

Full-time: Argentina 3-2 Egypt

After looking all but out, Argentina have come from two goals down to prevail! Egypt netted through Ibrahim in the first half and Ziko after the break, but a goal and an assist from Messi late on pulled them back from the brink. Then, in injury time, Fernández headed into the far corner to keep complete a remarkable comeback.

End of second half

Full-time

90'

+ 9

Yellow card

Hossam Hassan

90'

+ 8

Yellow card

Marwan Attia

90'

+ 7

All over?

What do Egypt have left, if anything at all?

90'

+ 6

Substitution

Zizo

Mohanad Lasheen

90'

+ 5

Substitution

Facundo Medina

Julián Álvarez

90'

+ 5

Substitution

Nicolás Otamendi

Cristian Romero

90'

+ 4

Red card

Saafan El-Sagheer

90'

+ 4

Yellow card

Hamdy Fathi

90'

+ 3

Yellow card

Oufa Shobeir

90'

+ 3

Comeback complete!

Argentina have done it! After appearing to be on the verge of going out, Argentina are in front as Fernández heads into the corner. Wow.

90'

+ 2

Enzo Fernandez

GOAL!

3:2

Assist:L. Martínez

Goal probability

Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.

16 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

7.96 m

Inevitable

Eight goals for the tournament, 21 at World Cups overall. Is there any stopping Messi?

88'

What's left?

Are we going to extra-time, or can either team find a winner? Either way, this has been a fantastic match.

84'

Messi the hero!

Who else? The maestro comes to his nation's rescue once more with a thumping strike in off the bar. He has taken this game by the scruff of the neck and has brought his team back from the brink.

83'

Lionel Messi

GOAL!

2:2

Assist:G. Montiel

Goal probability

22 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

11.71 m

83'

Wide!

Brilliant work from Messi as he manages to get a ball across to Lautaro Martínez, but he can't find the target. A let-off got Egypt.

82'

Electric

The atmosphere in the stadium is one full of anticipation and nerves. Can Egypt hold on, or can Argentina equalise?

80'

Argentina pull one back!

Messi delivers a ball into the box, and while Shobeir gets a hand to Romero's header, he can't keep it out. Can they turn things around?

80'

Substitution

Omar Marmoush

Mostafa Ziko

79'

Cristian Romero

GOAL!

1:2

Assist:L. Messi

Goal probability

18 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

7.47 m

78'

Side-netting

Trézéguet has a shot from a tight angle, yet it never looks like beating Emiliano Martínez between the sticks. Space is appearing for Egypt as Argentina push forward.

Barely believable

Egypt have fought resolutely and provided quality in the final third when required.

74'

Back underway

Both teams make a sub after the pause, with Hassan, who created the second goal, making way.

73'

Substitution

Trézéguet

Haissem Hassan

73'

Substitution

Gonzalo Montiel

Nahuel Molina

71'

Hydration break

One more pause for some refreshment before Argentina try to climb this mountain.

70'

Up against it

Argentina now need two in just over 20 minutes. If they get out of this hole, it will be remarkable.

68'

Egypt have two!

There's nothing wrong with this one! Egypt break up the field once more with terrific pace, and Hassan is again involved, completing a lovely feint past Fernández before crossing to Ziko, who strokes past Emiliano Martínez. It's a long way back for Argentina now!

67'

Mostafa Ziko

GOAL!

0:2

Assist:H. Hassan

Goal probability

30 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

8.34 m

67'

Changes

Argentina make a couple of substitutions, with former Stuttgart man González coming on.

66'

Substitution

Lautaro Martínez

Rodrigo de Paul

66'

Substitution

Nico González

Nicolás Tagliafico

65'

Pressure

Argentina are again camped in the final third. Can they find the goal they desperately crave?

59'

Egypt two to the good! But...

Incredible! Egypt have been up against it since scoring, yet appear to have doubled their advantage through Ziko. However, the goal is overturned for a foul on Lisandro Martínez at the other end, and the goal is chalked off.

52'

Same again

Argentina are carrying on from where they left off by enjoying the majority of possession. Still, they just can't get past Shobeir, with Paredes next to fire an attempt off target.

48'

Save

De Paul has Argentina's first shot of the second half, but this one is comfortable for Shobeir.

46'

Back underway

Messi and Argentina have 45 minutes to turn this around.

Kick-off!

45'

+ 7

Substitution

Hamdy Fathi

Emam Ashour

Half-time: Argentina 0-1 Egypt

An action-packed first-half comes to a close with Egypt in front. The Pharaohs made the most of their strong start when Ibrahim headed home from close range, but Argentina had numerous chances to equalise. However, Egypt goalkeeper Shobeir enjoyed a fantastic first half, keeping out Messi's penalty before producing two more brilliant saves to keep his team in front.

Half-time

45'

+ 2

Continuous pressure

Argentina remain on top and are dictating the play. They can't find a way through yet though.

43'

Argentina on top

But the scoreline is the most important statistic.

Goal attempts

5off target

3on target

1off target

1on target

43'

Wide

The next Argentina opening sees Álvarez curl well wide of the post from outside the box.

41'

Shobeir ok to continue

The man of the moment is back on his feet and appears to have recovered.

39'

Incredible!

Álvarez looks certain to score, but Shobeir makes another wonderful intervention to push his attempt to safety. He is single-handedly preserving his team's lead at the moment, although he may have hurt himself.

38'

Off target

Messi is on the ball again and lets fly from just outside the box, but he can't keep it down and it is therefore never troubling Shobeir.

35'

Over

That is speculative to say the least. Hafez shoots from all of 40 yards, and his attempt is only ever going high and wide.

32'

Post!

Messi tries his luck from distance with a free-kick and strikes the upright. Shobeir, in all fairness, appears to leave the ball and had it covered.

Shobeir the savour

Could this moment prove decisive?

31'

What a stop!

Shobeir makes a second crucial intervention for Egypt as he keeps out Mac Allister's header from inside the area.

27'

Back underway

We are up and running once more.

24'

Hydration break

A breathless start to this encounter comes to a close with Egypt in front and Messi missing a penalty.

The opener

Thanks to that save, Hassan's goal is the still the difference between the teams.

21'

Yellow card

Saafan El-Sagheer

21'

Messi misses

For the second time this tournament, Messi has a penalty saved as Shobeir dives the right way. What drama!

21'

Penalty missed!

Taker:

Lionel Messi

20'

Spot-kick!

Argentina have an immediate chance to response as Tagliafico is fouled by Hassan in the box. Messi will step up to take.

15'

Egypt lead

The African nation lead! Argentina were given a warning side earlier on, and a similar situation ends with Ibrahim heading Attia's cross beyond Martínez. What a start!

15'

Yasser Ibrahim

GOAL!

0:1

Assist:M. Attia

Goal probability

43 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

4.89 m

10'

Wide

With the goal at his mercy, Fernández can only tap past the post. Fortunately for him, the offside flag goes up for a clear infringement earlier in the move.

Dangerous free-kick

Egypt work a ball into the box, but Argentina are able to clear. An early warning sign for the Albiceleste.

Even start

While Argentina have had slightly more possession early on, Egypt are now starting to get their foot on the ball and circulate it.

Underway

We are up and running in this penultimate round of 16 tie.

Kick-off!

Onto the pitch

The teams have made their way onto the field of play.

Warming up

Messi and Co. have been out onto the field to prepare for this match. The world superstar will look to add to his seven goals at this tournament and move back to the top of the goalscoring charts.

More on that Argentina side

Meanwhile, the defending world champions make three changes to the side they fielded for their dramatic 3-2 victory over Cape Verde in the last round. Tagliafico, Paredes and Álvarez (pictured) all come in, while Medina, Almada and Lautaro Martínez make way and drop to the bench.

More on that Egypt side

Compared to their round of 32 victory over Australia, Hossam Hassan makes two changes to his starting line-up, introducing Lasheen and Hassan (pictured) for Fathy and Marmoush.

Starting line-up: Argentina

Formation:4-1-3-2

Argentina subs

Musso, Rulli, Senesi, Montiel, Barco, Lo Celso, Palacios, González, Almada, Simeone, Paz, Otamendi, López, Martínez, Medina

Starting line-up: Egypt

Formation:4-2-3-1

Egypt subs

El Shenawy, Soliman, Alaa, Abdelmaguid, Trezeguet, Abdelkarim, Fathy, Donga, Adel, Saber, Marmoush, Alaa, Zizo

Lionel Scaloni on facing Egypt

"Egypt are a good team with very good players. They have shown throughout the tournament that they deserve to be here [...] Every match is difficult. There are no easy games anymore, and anyone who thinks otherwise is mistaken."

Hossam Hassan on facing Argentina

"We respect Argentina, but we don't fear them. I know they have a legend like Lionel Messi, but we will play our own game without thinking about the name of our opponents, even if they are the defending champions [...] Our goal is to make the Egyptian people proud of their national team, and we are determined to achieve that."

0:58

Watch: Demichelis's best Bundesliga goals

Former Argentina defender Martín Demichelis spent eight seasons in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich and is now back in Germany as RB Leipzig head coach. Enjoy some of the 45-year-old's best strikes in the Bundesliga.

5:55

Watch: Egypt's Marmoush - made in the Bundesliga

Omar Marmoush honed his goal-scoring craft in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg, VfB Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt, as well as Bundesliga 2 with St. Pauli, before moving to Manchester City.

Head-to-head record

Argentina and Egypt have only met once since locking horns for the first time at the 1928 Olympic Games. Nearly 80 years after La Albiceleste’s 6-0 triumph in the Netherlands, the teams faced each other again in a friendly in Cairo, with Argentina edging to a 2-0 victory thanks to second-half goals from Sergio Agüero and Nicolás Burdisso.

How they got here: Egypt

After holding Belgium to a 1-1 draw in their opening Group G encounter, Egypt beat New Zealand 3-1 before securing their round-of-32 berth - and second place behind Belgium - thanks to a 1-1 draw against Iran. They needed penalties to overcome Australia last time out, triumphing 4-2 in the shoot-out following another 1-1 draw after extra time.

How they got here: Argentina

One of only three teams to reach the knockout stages with a 100 percent record, holders Argentina kicked off the defence of their crown with a 3-0 win over Algeria before confirming their place in the round of 32 with a 2-0 victory over Austria. A 3-1 win over Jordan completed the set, before a gripping 3-2 success over Cabo Verde after extra time confirmed their place in the round of 16.

Welcome along!

Follow all of the action as Argentina take on Egypt in the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 16, kicking off at 6pm CEST on Tuesday, 7 July at the Atlanta Stadium.