Egypt just knocked Argentina out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Let that sink in for a moment.
Mostafa Zico’s 67th-minute goal sealed a 2-0 victory for Egypt over the defending champions in the Round of 16 at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 7. It was the kind of result that makes you double-check the scoreboard, then check it again.
How Egypt pulled off the unthinkable
Yasser Ibrahim opened the scoring just 15 minutes into the match, putting Argentina on the back foot before Lionel Messi and company could settle into any rhythm. Then came the dagger. In the 67th minute, Zico, a 29-year-old midfielder from Pyramids FC, finished off a counterattack with the kind of clinical composure that belied the magnitude of the moment.
This marks Egypt’s first-ever advance past the group stage of a World Cup, let alone a knockout-round victory over the reigning champions. Captain Mohamed Salah, who has spent years carrying the weight of Egyptian football expectations on his shoulders, finally got the tournament moment his career has demanded.
