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Football fans’ attention turns to the upcoming match between Egypt and Argentina in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday, a match that is exceptional not only for its artistic value, but also because it will bring back the clash between the current generation’s leading stars, Leeson and Messi. Mohamed Salah, Dean of Pharaohs.
Egypt continued to make history at the current World Cup after qualifying for the round of 16 for the first time with remarkable performances that grabbed the attention of the international media, setting up a fiery encounter with the reigning champions in what is considered to be the toughest test of the Pharaohs’ journey.
Ahead of this match, we’ve shed some light on the upcoming clash between Salah and Messi, reviewing the history of the two stars’ meetings in their careers, which have been limited to just two occasions so far.
The first confrontation was in the group stage of the 2015-2016 Champions League season, when Salah was in the jersey of Roma, while Messi led Barcelona.
The match at the Olimpico Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw after both players played the entire match.
In the second leg at Camp Nou, Barcelona won 6-1, but Salah was absent from Roma’s squad, so the second meeting between the two stars was postponed after 4 years.
The next encounter came in the first leg of the 2019 Champions League semi-final, when Barcelona beat Liverpool 3–0, with Messi scoring twice, one of which was a free-kick that became one of the most famous goals of the tournament.
But Salah missed the second leg at Anfield with a head injury against Newcastle United, thus missing one of the most high-profile matches in the Champions League, which saw a historic comeback for Liverpool with a 4-0 victory before claiming their sixth title.
Egypt and Argentina face off in the last 16 of the World Cup will be the third chapter of Salah and Messi’s battle, but this time it will be on the world’s biggest football stage, as the star of the Egyptian national team will try to lead the Pharaohs to an unprecedented achievement, reaching the quarter-finals, facing Argentina, who won the title 4 years ago.
