Argentina beat Egypt 3–2 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 on July 7, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Egypt led 2–0 through Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico, but Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi, and Enzo Fernández scored late goals to complete Argentina’s comeback.
Key Takeaways
- Argentina defeated Egypt 3–2 in the World Cup Round of 16.
- Egypt built a 2–0 lead before Argentina scored three times late in the match.
- Lionel Messi scored Argentina’s second goal and assisted Cristian Romero’s equalizer.
- Enzo Fernández scored the winning goal in second-half stoppage time.
- Argentina had 64% possession, 19 shots, and 7 shots on target, compared with Egypt’s 36% possession, 5 shots, and 2 shots on target.
Argentina vs Egypt Score and Result
The final score was Argentina 3–2 Egypt in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
The match was played on July 7, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States. The attendance was listed as 68,239.
| Team | Goals |
|---|---|
| Argentina | 3 |
| Egypt | 2 |
Argentina’s three goals came from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi, and Enzo Fernández. Egypt scored through Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico.
Argentina vs Egypt Match Summary
The match produced one of the biggest late comebacks of the 2026 World Cup.
Egypt Takes an Early Lead
Egypt struck first in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim put his team ahead. Argentina then had an opportunity to equalize from the penalty spot, but Lionel Messi’s penalty was saved by Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir.
Argentina continued to create chances, but Egypt held its advantage into halftime.
Egypt then doubled the lead in the 67th minute. Mostafa Zico finished from close range after a move involving Haissem Hassan. The goal gave Egypt a 2–0 advantage with less than half an hour remaining.
Argentina Completes the Comeback
Argentina finally responded in the 79th minute.
Cristian Romero headed home from a Lionel Messi delivery to make the score 2–1. Just four minutes later, Messi found the net himself to bring Argentina level at 2–2.
The comeback was completed in stoppage time.
Enzo Fernández headed Argentina’s third goal in the 92nd minute, giving the defending champions a 3–2 victory and sending them through to the quarter-finals.
Argentina vs Egypt Player Stats
The match featured several standout performances. Lionel Messi finished with a goal, an assist, five shots, and two shots on target according to match-stat databases. He also recorded the most key passes for Argentina.
Argentina Player Highlights
| Player | Key contribution |
|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | 1 goal, 1 assist |
| Cristian Romero | 1 goal |
| Enzo Fernández | 1 goal |
| Gonzalo Montiel | 1 assist |
| Lautaro Martínez | 1 assist |
| Julián Álvarez | 3 fouls committed |
| Leandro Paredes | 115 completed passes |
Messi was especially important during Argentina’s comeback. He assisted Romero’s goal before scoring the equalizer himself. Match data also credits him with five shots and six key passes in the game, depending on the statistical category and provider used.
Leandro Paredes was another major contributor in possession, completing 115 passes according to Squawka’s match statistics.
Egypt Player Highlights
| Player | Key contribution |
|---|---|
| Yasser Ibrahim | 1 goal |
| Mostafa Zico | 1 goal |
| Haissem Hassan | 1 assist |
| Marwan Attia | 1 assist |
| Mostafa Shobeir | Important saves |
| Mohamed Salah | 4 fouls drawn |
Yasser Ibrahim gave Egypt the opening goal, while Mostafa Zico added the second. Haissem Hassan was credited with an assist on Zico’s goal.
Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir also played an important role. He saved Messi’s first-half penalty and made other stops that kept Egypt ahead for much of the match.
Argentina vs Egypt Team Stats
Argentina controlled more of the ball and produced significantly more attacking volume.
| Statistic | Argentina | Egypt |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 64% | 36% |
| Total shots | 19 | 5 |
| Shots on target | 7 | 2 |
| Shots off target | 8 | 3 |
| Corners | 6 | 1 |
| Fouls | 13 | 11 |
| Passes | 602 | 349 |
| Passing accuracy | 90% | 82% |
| Expected goals | 2.84 | 0.89 |
The numbers show the contrast between Argentina’s possession-based approach and Egypt’s more limited attacking output. Argentina attempted 19 shots and registered seven on target, while Egypt managed five total shots and two on target.
Despite Argentina’s statistical advantage, Egypt was able to create a two-goal lead and remained ahead until the 79th minute.
Who Scored in Argentina vs Egypt?
The five goals were scored by four different players.
- Yasser Ibrahim — Egypt, 15th minute
- Mostafa Zico — Egypt, 67th minute
- Cristian Romero — Argentina, 79th minute
- Lionel Messi — Argentina, 83rd minute
- Enzo Fernández — Argentina, 92nd minute
Messi’s goal was particularly important because it brought Argentina level after Egypt had led 2–0. Fernández then completed the comeback with the winning goal in stoppage time.
Argentina vs Egypt Lineups
Argentina started with a 4-1-3-2 formation. Emiliano Martínez was in goal, with Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, and Nicolás Tagliafico forming the defensive line. Leandro Paredes played behind Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, and Enzo Fernández, while Julián Álvarez and Lionel Messi led the attack.
Egypt also used a 4-4-2 setup. Mostafa Shobeir started in goal, with Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Ramy Rabia, and Karim Hafez in defense. Mohamed Salah and Mostafa Zico were part of the attacking group.
Messi’s Performance Against Egypt
Lionel Messi finished the match with one goal and one assist, playing a central role in Argentina’s comeback.
His first major opportunity came from the penalty spot, but Shobeir saved the attempt. Messi then responded by assisting Romero’s goal in the 79th minute before scoring the equalizer four minutes later.
Opta also reported that Messi extended his World Cup scoring run to nine consecutive matches and became the first player to score in six consecutive World Cup knockout matches.
His performance demonstrates why the final score cannot tell the entire story of the match. Argentina needed a rapid change in momentum, and Messi was directly involved in two of the three comeback goals.
Argentina vs Egypt Head-to-Head History
Argentina and Egypt have met only a small number of times in senior international football.
Their recorded meetings include:
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| June 6, 1928 | Argentina vs Egypt | Argentina 6–0 Egypt |
| March 26, 2008 | Egypt vs Argentina | Egypt 0–2 Argentina |
| July 7, 2026 | Argentina vs Egypt | Argentina 3–2 Egypt |
The 2026 World Cup meeting was therefore the third listed encounter between the two national teams in the historical record used by National Football Teams.
The 2008 meeting was a friendly in Cairo, while the 2026 match carried much higher stakes as a World Cup knockout fixture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Argentina vs Egypt score?
Argentina defeated Egypt 3–2 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16. Egypt led 2–0, but Argentina scored three times late in the match through Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi, and Enzo Fernández.
Who scored for Argentina against Egypt?
Cristian Romero scored in the 79th minute, Lionel Messi equalized in the 83rd minute, and Enzo Fernández scored the winning goal in the 92nd minute.
Who scored for Egypt against Argentina?
Yasser Ibrahim scored Egypt’s opening goal in the 15th minute, while Mostafa Zico scored the second in the 67th minute.
How many goals did Messi score against Egypt?
Lionel Messi scored one goal against Egypt in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16. He also assisted Cristian Romero’s goal during Argentina’s comeback.
Where was Argentina vs Egypt played?
The match was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 7, 2026. The recorded attendance was 68,239.
Did Argentina come back from 2–0 down?
Yes. Egypt led 2–0 after goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico. Argentina then scored three goals between the 79th and 92nd minutes to win 3–2.
Conclusion
The Argentina vs Egypt match was a dramatic 3–2 World Cup Round of 16 victory for Argentina. Egypt looked close to a major upset after taking a 2–0 lead, but Argentina changed the match in the final stages.
Cristian Romero started the comeback, Messi supplied a goal and an assist, and Enzo Fernández delivered the decisive stoppage-time goal.
The final team statistics also showed Argentina’s control of possession and attacking volume, although Egypt’s counterattacking approach made the contest much closer than the possession numbers suggest.
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