Mohamed Salah made it clear which football icon he chose to share a “last dance” of the final World Cup, with name Lionel Messi in front of Cristiano RonaldoNeymar is Harry Kane a few days before Egypt’s blockbuster FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 meeting with defending champions Argentina.The elimination match, scheduled for Tuesday, July 7, at the Atlanta Stadium, will be the first World Cup match between Salah and Messi and only the third time that the two modern greats will face each other in their careers. The winner will advance to the quarter-finals, where they will meet both Colombia and Switzerland, with Egypt chasing one of the biggest clashes of the tournament against the reigning world champions.
Salah chooses Messi for the last chapter of the World Cup of football
The 2026 World Cup is widely expected to be the final appearance on soccer’s biggest stage for many members of one of the sport’s greatest generations.At 39, Messi continues to lead Argentina’s title defense, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Luka Modrić and Salah himself are all considered unlikely players to feature in another World Cup.After Egypt’s dramatic 32-point win over Australia on penalties, Salah was asked by reporters which player he would pick for a “last dance” shared by a group that included Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Harry Kane.The Egyptian captain did not hesitate.“Messi,” Salah replied with a smile, making his preference immediately clear.The question did not specify whether “the last ball” referred to playing alongside someone or just sharing a final trip to the World Cup. Regardless of interpretation. However, Salah’s response left little room for doubt as to which player he most wanted alongside him for this closing chapter.Ironically, that wish will now come true almost immediately.
Argentina and Egypt are preparing for the first meeting of the World Cup
Salah’s Egypt will now face Messi’s Argentina in one of the most important ties of the Round of 16.Argentina secured their place after surviving a major scare against Cape Verde, eventually prevailing 3-2 after extra time in a match that pushed Lionel Scaloni’s side to the limit.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi (10) scores his first goal against Cape Verde’s goalkeeper Vozinha (1) during the World Cup Round of 32 soccer match between Argentina and Cape Verde in Miami Gardens, Florida, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
The dramatic victory ensured that the defending champions remain alive in their quest for back-to-back World Cup titles, but it also exposed vulnerabilities that Egypt hope to exploit.The Pharaohs arrive with confidence after beating Australia in a penalty shootout to reach the knockout stages, setting up what will be the first competitive meeting between the two nations in a FIFA World Cup.
Egypt’s Mohamed Salah (10) scores a penalty in a shootout in the World Cup Round of 32 soccer match against Australia in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Victory will send either side into the quarter-finals, where Colombia or Switzerland await.
Messi and Salah renew a rare rivalry
Although both have spent more than a decade among football’s elite, Messi and Salah have only met twice before.Both matches came in the UEFA Champions League while representing former clubs.The first was a 1-1 group stage draw during the 2015-16 season, when Salah played for Roma against Messi’s Barcelona.Their second meeting came in the first leg of the 2018-19 Champions League semi-final at Camp Nou. Messi put in one of his finest European performances, scoring twice as Barcelona beat Liverpool 3-0 before Jurgen Klopp’s side famously overturned the deficit at Anfield to reach the final.The upcoming meeting in Atlanta will therefore be their third meeting overall and their first time wearing the colors of the national team, with a place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup at stake.
Messi continues to lead Golden Boot race like Salah’s eyes, the biggest loser
Messi enters the contest in outstanding form.The Argentina captain scored his seventh goal of the 2026 World Cup against Cape Verde, maintaining his place among the tournament’s top scorers as he extended his all-time World Cup scoring record to 20 career goals.He remains one of the competition’s defining figures despite approaching his 40th birthday and continues his quest for back-to-back World Cup titles after leading Argentina to glory in Qatar four years earlier.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi looks on during the World Cup Round of 32 soccer match against Cape Verde in Miami Gardens, Florida, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Salah, meanwhile, carries Egypt’s hopes in what promises to be their toughest test of the tournament. He is also Egypt’s all-time World Cup scorer with three goals, having scored twice at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and adding a crucial third against New Zealand during the 2026 World Cup group stage. The Liverpool striker now has the chance to fulfill the wish he expressed after the defeat by Australia, sharing the stage with Messi in what could represent the final World Cup appearance for two modern football icons. Whether that “last dance” ends with another chapter in Messi’s remarkable career or one of the biggest shocks of the 2026 tournament will be decided when Egypt and Argentina meet in Atlanta with a place in the quarter-finals on the line.
