Defending champions Argentina face a relentless Egypt side in an intriguing World Cup round-of-16 tie, as the focus shifts back to the pitch after recent political drama. Photo: AFP
The quest for historical immortality meets a historic fairy tale in Atlanta as defending champions Argentina take on a relentless Egypt side in a blockbuster Round of 16 clash on Tuesday (kick-off 6pm).
While the 2026 Fifa World Cup's headlines have recently been dominated by political theatre — most notably US president Donald Trump’s direct phone call to Fifa chief Gianni Infantino to successfully suspend Folarin Balogun’s red card ban — the focus shifts firmly back to the pitch. Political interference is woven into the fabric of World Cup history, from Benito Mussolini’s heavy hand in 1934 and Adolf Hitler’s Anschluss team in 1938, to the dark shadows of Argentina’s 1978 junta and Kuwaiti royalty walking onto the pitch in 1982.
But for Lionel Scaloni and Hossam Hassan, the only history that matters is the 90 — or potentially 120 — minutes ahead of them.
Argentina are aiming to become the first team in 64 years to successfully defend their World Cup title. However, their path to the final eight has been anything but a walk in the park.
