Argentina v Egypt LIVE: Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah battle for World Cup quarter-final place

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The Independent

·7 July 2026

Argentina v Egypt LIVE: Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah battle for World Cup quarter-final place

Argentina and Egypt battle for the penultimate spot in the World Cup quarter-finals as two national icons clash in Atlanta.

For Lionel Messi, it has been another tournament to remember with the Argentina captain top of the scoring charts both this year and overall. His side’s last outing was not, perhaps, the comfortable progression that most expected, though, with Cape Verde showing a few flaws in the defending champions’ system to threaten to cause one of the great World Cup shocks.

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Onwards, though, Argentina go into this round of 16 encounter with Egypt and Mohamed Salah. A tight affair against Australia was eventually settled in a shootout to leave history within reach – never before have Egypt reached the last eight of the World Cup. Can Salah lead them there and upset the holders? Or will Argentina’s own ageing, left-footed talisman steer his side to more success?