Messi’s Argentina meet Salah’s Egypt with a World Cup quarter-final at stake

Two of the game’s most recognisable forwards go head to head in Atlanta on Tuesday, and only one of them will still be at this World Cup by the end of the night. Lionel Messi’s Argentina take on Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in the round of 16 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with a quarter-final place waiting for the winner. Indian fans can catch it from 9:30pm IST.

Argentina ride their luck into the knockouts

Argentina arrived as one of the favourites and topped Group J with three wins, but their last-32 tie was closer than anyone in blue and white would have liked. Cape Verde, at their first World Cup, pushed the holders all the way and only a late own goal in extra time settled a 3-2 win. It was a reminder that the margins are thinner in the knockouts, even for a side with this much quality.

Messi remains the story. At 39 he has been the tournament’s standout, scoring a hat-trick against Algeria in the opener on June 16 and moving to 20 World Cup goals, more than anyone in the history of the men’s or women’s tournament. He has already passed Miroslav Klose’s old men’s record of 16 and Marta’s overall mark of 17, with Kylian Mbappe next on the list at 19. Egypt know that keeping him quiet is most of the job.

Egypt in uncharted territory

For Egypt, simply being here is new ground. This is the first time they have reached the World Cup round of 16, and they got there the hard way, holding Australia and then winning the shootout, Salah rolling in a cheeky panenka to settle the nerves. Beat Argentina and they would be into a first quarter-final, a result that would rank among the biggest in African football’s recent history.

Salah carries the same weight for Egypt that Messi does for Argentina. He will not get many chances against a defence this experienced, so Egypt’s plan is likely to be patient, sit in, stay compact, and hope their talisman can make one moment count on the break. It worked well enough against Australia, and against a beatable-looking Argentina back line, they will fancy it again.

What to watch

The obvious subplot is Messi against Salah, two players in the closing act of their international careers chasing one more deep run. But the game may turn on quieter things: whether Argentina can move the ball quickly enough to stretch a stubborn Egypt, and whether Egypt can survive the spells where Argentina take over. Argentina start as clear favourites, yet Cape Verde showed there is a way to make them uncomfortable, and Egypt have already proved they can hang around in a tight game.

Kick-off is 9:30pm IST on Tuesday. Win this and the reward is a place in the last eight, with the tournament starting to open up.

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