What Senegal legend said about Egypt's Pharaohs at the 2026 World Cup

Senegal legend Papa Diouf has praised Egypt's Pharaohs for proving their mettle at the 2026 World Cup despite their recent 3-2 loss to Argentina on July 7. "The Egyptians delivered an impressive performance in the tournament and didn’t shy away from facing the world’s best teams," Diouf told reporters. "The Pharaohs have players capable of competing with any side, and that’s clear in every match."

What happened in Egypt vs Argentina?

Egypt faced Argentina in their opening World Cup group-stage match and lost 3-2 in a thrilling encounter decided in stoppage time. Lionel Messi opened the scoring for Argentina in the 23rd minute, but Egypt fought back with goals from Mohamed Salah and Ahmed Fathi before halftime. Argentina, however, scored twice in added time to seal the win, leaving the Pharaohs with a tough loss.

How is Egypt’s Pharaohs performing at the 2026 World Cup so far?

Despite the defeat, Egypt’s Pharaohs have earned praise for their World Cup 2026 performances. After the loss, they drew with Portugal and Japan in their next two matches, collecting just one point from three games. Their latest result came on July 20 with a 1-0 win over Japan, proving they can compete even against the tournament’s strongest sides.

What’s next for the Pharaohs in the tournament?

Egypt now face a must-win clash against Portugal on July 25 to keep their hopes of advancing alive. "We’ll give it our all because every point counts at this stage," said Hatem Marci, the team’s head coach. "The players are ready mentally and physically, and we’ll give our best."

Egypt’s recent form over the last five matches reads 1 win, 3 draws, and 1 loss (latest results: win, draw, draw, draw, loss). Still, the Pharaohs remain capable of springing a surprise in this tournament.