World Cup 2026: Egyptian fans are our biggest motivation – Mostafa Ziko ahead of Argentina clash

Egypt international Mostafa Ziko is drawing inspiration from the Egyptian fans as the teams’ gears up for the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Argentina.

The North African giants takes on the defending champions on Tuesday evening, with victory crucial to securing a place in the last eight of the tournament.

Ahead of the match, Ziko stressed he and his teammates are determined to give their best performance as they look to continue their historic World Cup journey and reward the millions of Egyptian supporters following the team.

“The strong fan support the Pharaohs enjoy is the biggest motivation for all the players and the coaching staff,” Ziko said.

Meanwhile, the Pyramids FC attacker has eulogized Argentina captain Lionel Messi, labeling him as one of the greatest footballers in world football.

“I greatly respect Argentine star Lionel Messi as one of the most important football players in the world,” he said.

“The Egyptian national team is not focusing on just one player, but on the Argentine team as a whole.”

Egypt will face a difficult challenge against Argentina, who possess a squad filled with world-class talent and experience at major international tournaments.

Acknowledging the magnitude of the task ahead, Zico concluded his remarks by admitting that the match will be a tough test for the Pharaohs.

“Facing Argentina will be difficult for the Egyptian national team.”

Despite the challenge, Egypt will be hoping their strong team spirit, tactical discipline and passionate support from fans can inspire them to produce another memorable performance on the global stage.