News, goals, and analysis – only on the official A BOLA app. World Cup The atmosphere for the match between Argentina and Egypt, counting for the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, is already heating up off the pitch. Ibrahim Hassan, assistant coach and twin brother of head coach Hossam Hassan, made a bold statement ahead of the encounter with Lionel Scaloni’s team. Ibrahim Hassan assured that the team will not be influenced by the presence of Lionel Messi and has full confidence in the talent of his players. ‘Playing against Messi? We don’t even think about that. We are focused on the Egyptian national team. We enter to fight in every game, whether against Messi or any other opponent. We have Mohamed Salah and 26 Messis and high-level players,’ he stated. It is worth noting that Egypt is having the best performance in its history at the World Cup. After advancing past the group stage for the first time, the Pharaohs eliminated Australia in the Round of 16. Ibrahim Hassan also highlighted Mohamed Salah’s good form, who arrived at the World Cup with doubts about his physical condition. According to the assistant coach, the forward underwent intensive rehabilitation. ‘Mohamed Salah is finding his form alongside Hossam Hassan and with the Egyptian national team. He is a great example within the team,’ said Ibrahim, who also praised his brother’s tactical work. ‘Hossam prepares each game as if it were an exam: he studies the opponent and memorizes everything the players need to know, and that’s why the squad knows everything. He instills a lot of confidence in the players,’ he described. To conclude, Ibrahim Hassan revealed the message that the coaching staff has been conveying to the group since the beginning of the 2026 World Cup: ‘We tell them to give their all. We don’t know if we will return to a World Cup. Our goal is to go as far as possible in the tournament.’
Read more in football news. and related tags: Egypt Challenges Argentina, We Have Salah.