Julián Álvarez to start for Scaloni’s Argentina against Egypt
Argentina already has its lineup confirmed for the round-of-16 clash at the 2026 World Cup, and Julián Álvarez is set to start. It is the main new wrinkle in a Lionel Scaloni team looking to reach the last eight against Egypt.
Argentina faces its 2026 World Cup round-of-16 tie against Egypt in less than two hours with a major twist: Julián Álvarez will start. The confirmation of the lineup adds an unexpected ingredient to Lionel Scaloni's team, which is going for a place among the top eight in the World Cup.
The match is being played this Tuesday, July 7 and has everyone's attention on a day that will begin to shape the full quarterfinal bracket. On the other side is an awkward opponent, with Mohamed Salah as the standout star, in a duel that has already been billed as a clash between two legends: Messi and Salah.
Scaloni's bet for the one-on-one battle
The confirmed news ahead of kickoff is that Scaloni will alter the team for the first time in this tournament. In that context, Julián Álvarez starting from the opening whistle becomes the main novelty of the Argentine night.
- Argentina play against Egypt in the round of 16.
- Julián Álvarez starts.
- Lionel Scaloni has confirmed the lineup.
- Messi and Salah will be the biggest names in the tie.
A match that also sets the bracket
Beyond the matchup itself, the game has a direct impact on the rest of the bracket. The round-of-16 day ends with this duel and with Colombia vs. Suiza in Vancouver, a tie that will finish deciding the quarterfinals.
For that reason, Argentina's match is not just a high-pressure sporting test: it also completes the map of what is coming in the tournament. In that setting, Scaloni's presence on the bench and Messi inside the team once again puts the Scaloneta at the center of the World Cup spotlight.
What comes next for the national team
If Argentina get past Egypt, they will take another step toward the decisive stretch of the World Cup. For now, the only certainty is that the lineup is set and that Julián Álvarez will be part of the starting eleven on a knockout night that could shape the national team's immediate future.
With the match about to begin, expectations are centered on how Scaloni's team responds in a no-margin-for-error stage, with the dream still alive of continuing on in the 2026 World Cup.
