Argentina failed to win their opening match at each of the last two World Cups — drawing 1-1 with Iceland in 2018 and losing 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in 2022 — yet reached the final in both tournaments and won the title in 2022.
Argentina3–2Egypt
Stats
Lionel Messi enters the 2026 World Cup on 13 career World Cup goals, three behind Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16. Kylian Mbappé starts on 12 goals and needs four to equal the record.
Lionel Messi has scored in six of Argentina's last seven World Cup matches.
Argentina enter the 2026 World Cup unbeaten in their last six World Cup matches (4W-2D) and having scored in each of those games.
Argentina have won their last 7 international matches, going 7W-0D-0L with 21 goals scored and 1 conceded.
Match Events
0–1
15'Yasser Ibrahim
21'Lionel Messi
0–2
67'Mostafa Ziko
79'Cristian Romero
1–2
83'Lionel Messi
2–2
90+2'Enzo Fernández
3–2
Lineups
Argentina
Egypt
- 23Emiliano Martínez
- 3Nicolás Tagliafico↓66'
- 6Lisandro Martínez
- 13Cristian Romero↓90'
- 26Nahuel Molina↓73'
- 5Leandro Paredes
- 7Rodrigo De Paul↓66'
- 20Alexis Mac Allister
- 24Enzo Fernández
- 9Julián Alvarez↓90'
- 10Lionel Messi
- 23Mostafa Shobeir
- 2Yasser Ibrahim
- 3Mohamed Hany
- 5Ramy Rabia
- 15Karim Hafez
- 8Emam Ashour↓46'
- 11Mostafa Ziko↓80'
- 17Mohanad Lasheen↓90'
- 19Marwan Attia
- 10Mohamed Salah
- 12Haissem Hassan↓73'
Substitutes
- 4Gonzalo Montiel↑73'
- 19Nicolás Otamendi↑90'
- 25Facundo Medina↑90'
- 15Nicolás González↑66'
- 22Lautaro Martínez↑66'
- 14Hamdy Fathy↑46'
- 7Trézéguet↑73'
- 22Omar Marmoush↑80'
- 25Zizo↑90'