Messi vs. Salah: A Clash of Two National Icons

Lionel Messi versus Mohamed Salah. Football legends. National icons.

On Tuesday (7:00 PM Bulgarian time) in Atlanta, Argentina faces Egypt for a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup. It's also a clash between two of the greatest players in football history.

Messi, at 39, and Salah, at 34, are in the twilight of their careers. Messi has already hinted this will be his last World Cup, while Salah still hopes to play in 2030. Their World Cup stories, however, are vastly different.

Messi is a World Champion. He is the tournament's all-time leading scorer, holds the record for most appearances, and is among the top scorers in this current competition.

For Salah, the script is entirely different. In his third World Cup with Egypt, he has reached the knockout stage for the first time, marking his country's first-ever appearance in the Round of 16.

During his career, Egypt lost the Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2017 and 2021. Salah himself has had several public disputes with the Egyptian Football Association over issues like image rights, travel arrangements, and team management. However, his Panenka-style penalty helped his country make history with a shootout victory over Australia in the previous round. Now, he will be hoping Tuesday brings him his greatest World Cup moment.

"The closer the farewell to a loved one, the more we miss them"

The most frequently mentioned word in Argentina right now is "bicampeonato" (back-to-back World Cup titles).

But the question on everyone's mind, which no one wants to voice, is: "What will we do when Messi retires?"

Each new match for the national team at the World Cup – like the one against Egypt on Tuesday – is another step towards glory, a chance to achieve something only two other nations have managed (Italy in 1934 and 1938; Brazil in 1958 and 1962).

And yet, every match also brings us closer to the retirement of Argentine football's greatest icon: national team captain Messi.

His goals in this tournament (seven), his new records (participating in a sixth World Cup, scoring in eight consecutive World Cup matches), and dramatic clashes like the game against Cape Verde, keep the country focused solely on the present moment.

On top of that, Messi is playing as if he were 25, not 39.

But we all know that the man who led Argentina to a World Cup title (Qatar 2022) and two Copa América trophies (Brazil 2021 and USA 2024) is dancing his last tango in the "Albiceleste" jersey.

Thus, every victory is progress in the tournament, but also another opportunity to enjoy the man who managed to reach the same heights as Diego Maradona in the pantheon of football gods.

Interestingly, many Argentine sports journalists criticize the fact that in this World Cup, the national team has once again become "Messi-dependent."

One of the great achievements attributed to coach Lionel Scaloni was that he was the first coach to build a team that complemented Messi, rather than relying entirely on him.

In the years before Scaloni's arrival, the national team experienced a series of disappointments – a lost World Cup final in 2014 in Brazil and two penalty shootout losses in Copa América finals (Chile 2015 and USA 2016) – but this changed under the current coach.

Now, only four of Argentina's 11 goals in the USA have not been scored by Messi. The two main strikers – Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez – seem to be playing simply as assistants to the great captain, while the creative midfielders who shone in previous tournaments – Enzo Fernández and Alexis Mac Allister – appear more focused on defending their own goal than attacking the opponent's.

As in personal relationships, it seems that the closer we are to parting with a loved one, the more we need them.

"He is pride, joy, and inspiration"

Salah is much more than a footballer; he is pride, joy, and inspiration.

He inspires millions of Egyptians every day. His story, from the small village of Nagrig to the biggest football stadiums in the world, makes every Egyptian feel proud.

He shows us that with hard work and faith, anything is possible. People see him and feel hope not only in football but in life.

What makes Salah even more special is his personality. He is humble, calm, and respectful. No matter how big he gets, he never forgets where he came from. He always represents Egypt in the best possible way, and that's something we all truly value and admire.

Today, as we watch Egypt in the World Cup, the feeling is different when Salah is on the field.

When Egypt defeated Australia in a tough match decided by penalties, the entire country experienced every moment together.

Hearts beat faster, families gathered, and when the team won, it felt like one big celebration across Egypt.

Mohamed Salah is at the center of this feeling – he leads, inspires, and gives confidence to everyone.

Egyptians deeply love Salah. He unites people and brings us moments we will always remember. When he plays, you can feel the whole country behind him, proud and full of hope.

Salah inspires strength, patience, and faith. He reminds us to always keep moving forward and stay true to ourselves.

Salah is not just a football star; he is a symbol of pride for every Egyptian.

BBC