Report—Ahmed Salem
On July 7th, specifically at 7 PM Cairo time, or as the people of Egypt colloquially referred to it: “Seven Seven at Seven,” it wasn't just a regular time like any other day, but a historic sporting event that an entire community experienced for the first time in its existence.
Hundreds of people, mostly men, women, and children as young as 4 years old, gathered around screens installed on walls, in streets, cafes, alleys, clubs, labor unions, sports fields, and stadiums just before the match began.
Passion to meet the titleholder
This scene witnessed events in all Across protected Egypt The people are infatuated with the round magician, where the national team faces its Argentine counterpart, the World Cup holder, in a Round of 16 match at Atlanta Stadium in the United States.
Egyptians awaited this match “with bated breath,” as they put it, since the national team qualified for the second round of the knockout stages, following their 4-2 victory on penalties in their first World Cup preliminary match after a 1-1 draw with Australia in the Round of 32 on Friday.
The Pharaohs qualified for the knockout stages – for the first time ever – after finishing second in Group G, behind Belgium.
The breakfast table bears witness: our match
At the fava bean cart, as everyone begins their day with the usual Egyptian meal, one of them looked away from his food, which he was devouring greedily, and said loudly, “Don't worry, everyone... our match, God willing.” Everyone responded with smiles full of optimism: “We ask God for ease.”.
Anticipation never left the people yesterday. Everyone walking the streets of the protected city was eagerly following the news before the match: from the injury of the Argentine star Lionel Messi, to the possibility of postponing the match date, through the players' statements, and others.
Even citizens who were not accustomed to following sports championships in Egypt were closely watching the atmosphere, eager to learn the result of a decisive match in the history of Egyptian sports.
The match is like it's in Egypt
Preparations for the match began long before its kickoff at 7:00 PM local time. Vendors were seen in squares and main streets selling Egyptian flags, whistles, and fan merchandise in preparation for the match, as if it were being held at Cairo Stadium.
Throughout the day, Egyptian flags were seen flying over vehicles and balconies, and conversations in public places like cafes and markets focused for days on the national team's performance and their upcoming match against Argentina.
The Pharaohs broke their curse of not achieving any victories in the history of the tournament, by defeating New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver. With this win, they qualified for the knockout stages for the first time in the tournament's history.
This marks Egypt's fourth appearance in the World Cup, where the Egyptian national team, having won seven Africa Cup of Nations titles, including three consecutively, has proven to be a formidable opponent.
Hope soared with an exceptional performance
And as the people believed in their team, they delivered Egypt's best performance against the defending champion Argentinian national team, in the 2026 World Cup finals. The players achieved a miracle by taking a two-goal lead and scoring a disallowed third.
Until the eighty-seventh minute, before Argentinian Lionel Messi and his teammates turned the tables, coming back from behind with a hat-trick against Mostafa Shouber, achieving a historic comeback that will remain etched on the walls of Buenos Aires.
The historical dream remains unfulfilled.
It was a historic event for millions of Egyptians. Everyone was eager to secure a spot in the Round of 16 to face the winner of the Switzerland vs. Colombia match, especially after their exceptional performance for most of the game.
But fate willed it, and the dream turned into a nightmare that befell over 100 million Egyptians. History will record that Egypt, rising for the first time, embarrassed Argentina despite losing 2-3 in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
