Argentine press reports revealed the behind-the-scenes details of the final hours inside the Argentina national team camp, ahead of the anticipated clash against the Egypt national team in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, hosted by "Mercedes-Benz" Stadium in the city of Atlanta.
The newspaper stated that coach Lionel Scaloni held several meetings with his players following the unconvincing performance against Cape Verde, confirming that the team cannot repeat the same level against a side possessing distinguished offensive elements, led by star Mohamed Salah.
It added that the technical staff focused during preparations on restoring strong pressing after losing the ball, one of the most prominent weapons that distinguished the Argentina national team in recent years, alongside improving offensive effectiveness and better exploiting chances.
It pointed out that Scaloni settled on making a number of changes to the starting lineup, most notably deploying Leandro Paredes in midfield to give Alexis Mac Allister greater freedom in offensive roles, in addition to Julián Álvarez’s participation instead of Lautaro Martínez, and Nicolás Tagliafico’s return to lead the left flank.
The newspaper confirmed that the atmosphere inside the camp is marked by confidence, despite the players’ awareness of the difficulty of the task against the Egyptian national team, especially in light of the surprises witnessed in the current edition of the World Cup, which eliminated several favored teams.
It also noted that the Argentina national team will enjoy massive fan support in Atlanta, with thousands of supporters expected to attend wearing the Argentine jersey, giving the team a sense of playing at home.
The report concluded by affirming that the sole goal inside the Tango players’ camp is to restore the known performance of the world champions and secure qualification to the quarterfinals, to continue the title defense journey under the leadership of captain Lionel Messi.
Egypt vs Argentina match time
The match between the two sides is scheduled to take place today, Tuesday, at exactly seven o’clock in the evening, Cairo time.
