Egypt set up Argentina clash as Salah and Messi meet on international stage

Egypt will face Argentina in the World Cup last 16 in Atlanta after beating Australia on penalties in Dallas. The match will be the first senior international meeting between Mohamed Salah and Lionel Messi.

Salah’s successful shootout kick carried extra weight after previous penalty disappointments for Egypt, including the qualifying playoff against Senegal four years ago. His role remains central, though the source reports concerns over his workload after a hamstring issue earlier in the tournament.

Argentina arrive as world champions under Lionel Scaloni, whose tenure has been marked by rare defeats, but the source notes they were tested by Cape Verde before advancing. Egypt’s attacking threat is not limited to Salah, with Omar Marmoush and teenage forward Hamza Abdelkarim also highlighted as options.

There are unresolved questions around Salah’s longer-term future. The article says his Liverpool contract has expired and mentions transfer speculation, while also noting that reported plans for him to remain Egypt captain through 2030 have not been formally confirmed. For now, the immediate story is simpler: Egypt have a knockout tie against Argentina and a chance to test themselves against the tournament favourites.