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World Cup: Who will win between Argentina 🇦🇷 vs Egypt 🇪🇬? Our Prediction

Defending Champions Meet Giant Killers

Mambo! The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage delivers one of its most intriguing matchups when Argentina faces Egypt on July 7 at Atlanta Stadium. For Argentina, it's another step toward making history. For Egypt, it's already history being made.

Argentina are bidding to become the first side since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back titles, and their path through the group stage has been nothing short of dominant. Argentina won all three Group J matches, beating Algeria 3-0, Austria 2-0, and Jordan 3-1, finishing top with a perfect nine points.

Egypt, meanwhile, are riding a wave of momentum. Egypt advanced in its first-ever knockout stage game at the World Cup, defeating Australia on penalties after a dramatic 1-1 draw. The Pharaohs have already scored six goals at this World Cup, extending their team record for most goals in a single edition of the tournament.

Messi Continues to Rewrite the Record Books

The Lionel Messi story at this World Cup has been something special, wazi? Messi has already scored six goals to become the outright all-time World Cup top scorer, surpassing all previous records. Even more impressive, Messi became the oldest player to score three in a World Cup match when he bagged a hat-trick against Algeria in the opener.

The Inter Miami player, who turns 39 during the tournament, plays on and is aiming to repeat the feat in North America. Though other members of the squad are also ageing, Messi is far from the force he was at the 2022 edition, his experience and leadership remain invaluable.

Argentina have been in excellent form recently, winning 5 of their last 5 matches with 13 goals scored and only 1 conceded. This attacking firepower, combined with their defensive solidity, makes them formidable opponents for any team.

Egypt's Historic Run and Star Power

Don't sleep on the Pharaohs. Egypt has qualified for the World Cup four times: in 1934, 1990, 2018 and now 2026, but they've never gone this deep into the tournament in the modern era. Egypt has been placed in Group G with Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand, and they navigated that group to reach the knockout rounds.

The squad, spearheaded by Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, has shown resilience and attacking quality throughout the tournament. Salah's leadership has been crucial, and his penalty expertise was on full display when Mohamed Salah converted with a panenka in the shootout against Australia.

However, Egypt face a massive challenge. Argentina currently hold the 1st position in the table, 4 points ahead of Egypt in their respective tournament standings, highlighting the gap in quality and consistency between these two sides.

Head-to-Head History

Interestingly, these two nations have rarely met on the football pitch. Egypt and Argentina played 1 game since 2003, with both teams scoring 1 goal each and the match ending in a draw. That historical precedent means little at this stage of a World Cup, where the stakes are entirely different.

The Tactical Battle

Argentina have found stability under Lionel Scaloni, who appears to have excellent man-management skills and has built a coherent and tactically smart team of winners. Scaloni favours a flexible 4-3-3 that can shift to a back five against stronger sides, and he built the team around Messi while developing a deep, balanced squad.

For Egypt, their defensive organization will be tested like never before. Argentina have scored over 1.5 goals in 100% of their matches this season, with 8 goals and 25 shots on target in the World Cup so far. Meanwhile, Egypt have scored 5 goals with 16 shots on target this season, managing over 1.5 goals in 100% of matches but conceding in 100% of games.

Our Prediction

Cheki this, while Egypt deserve massive credit for their historic run and have shown they can compete with anyone, the reality is harsh. Argentina are operating at a different level. Their experience in knockout football, combined with their perfect group stage and Messi's record-breaking form, gives them overwhelming advantages.

After their recent victory against Cape Verde, Argentina won 3 of their last 3 FIFA World Cup matches at Atlanta Stadium, showing they're comfortable at this venue. If Scaloni leads Argentina to consecutive World Cups, he would be the first manager to do so since Italy's Vittorio Pozzo in 1934 and 1938, providing extra motivation for the entire squad.

Egypt will fight, no doubt. Their journey has inspired millions. But Argentina's class, depth, and hunger to make history should see them through. We're predicting a professional Argentina victory, with the defending champions controlling the match and advancing to the quarterfinals.

Our pick: Argentina to win 🇦🇷

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