Argentina XI vs Egypt: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for World Cup 2026 | OneFootball

Defending champions are looking to reach last eight

Lionel Messi will be hoping that the head injury he sustained against Cape Verde will have subsided ahead Argentina’s last-16 encounter with Egypt at the World Cup.

The defending champions eked past the minnows 3-2 in a stunning extra-time affair, with captain Messi suffering a blow to the head following a collision during the game.

He remained on the pitch for the entire 120 minutes in Miami, Florida, where the 39-year-old plays his club football for Major League Soccer franchise Inter Miami.

The greatest of all time opened the scoring for the holders on 29 minutes at the Hard Rock Stadium, before Lautaro Martinez netted in the second minute of extra time after Deroy Duarte had forced an additional half an hour.

Sidny Lopes Cabral equalised once more for the Cape Verdeans, but it was an own goal from Diney in the 111th minute that saw Lionel Scaloni’s men progress into the last eight, where they take on Egypt in Atlanta, Georgia.

There is another concern, with Facundo Medina, who was forced to leave the field with what turned out to be cramp, Scaloni confirmed.

“He finished very tired because we also used him quite a bit in attack,” Scaloni explained. “He ended up cramping, but he’s okay.”

The Argentina boss has seemingly settled on his first-choice XI for this tournament, and it includes a hefty Premier League core.

Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez keeps goal, with Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez at the heart of the back four.

Nahuel Molina joins Medina at full-back, while Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister partner up in the engine room.

Natural central midfielers Rodrigo De Paul and Thiago Almada - the latter a more attacking No10 - are the wide midfielders in Scaloni’s 4-4-2, and Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martinez are his preferred strikeforce, with Atletico Madrid’s wantaway star Julian Alvarez on the bench.

Predicted Argentina XI (4-4-2): Martinez; Molina, Romero, Martinez, Medina; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Almada; Messi, Martinez

Doubt: Medina

Date and time: 5pm BST on Tuesday, July 7, 2026