Scaloni: No dominant team at this World Cup – everyone is on equal footing

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has dismissed the idea of a single dominant force at the 2026 World Cup, insisting every team in the knockout stages faces an intense challenge. Speaking ahead of the round of 16 clash against Egypt, the reigning world champion manager stressed that his side cannot afford to underestimate anyone at this stage. “Egypt are a very solid team. They have experienced players and a coaching staff that has been together for a long time. This World Cup has been unpredictable for everyone. There is no truly dominant side. France look strong, but even they struggled against Paraguay. Spain have also faced difficulties. No team is playing at the level they showed before the tournament. Opponents are well prepared, and the conditions are different from what players are used to. Those who have played many matches can feel that. We are happy to have won all four games so far, but we know there is still room to improve,” Scaloni said. The match between Argentina and Egypt kicks off at 19:00 Kyiv time.