His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, praised the performance of the Egyptian national team on Tuesday, July 7, following their narrow defeat to Argentina in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, hailing them as "heroes of the Arab world."

In a post on the social media platform X, Sheikh Mohammed stated that the world witnessed a "heroic Arab and Egyptian performance," noting that the "Pharaohs" fought against the world champions until the final whistle. Commending the players' spirit, he emphasized that despite the loss, they return home with their heads held high and remain champions in the eyes of the Arab people.

The message followed a thrilling encounter at Atlanta Stadium, where Egypt led the defending champions 2-0 until the closing stages. However, Argentina secured a 3-2 comeback victory with three late goals to advance to the quarter-finals.

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According to Reuters, Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko scored for Egypt as the team came close to pulling off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. However, late goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi, and Enzo Fernandez ended Egypt's hopes of a historic qualification.

The Egyptian national team had already secured one of its finest World Cup campaigns, progressing through the group stage before overcoming Australia in a penalty shootout. UAE media outlets hailed the run as "historic," stating that despite the exit, Egypt earned the widespread support of football fans across the Arab world.

The victory keeps Argentina’s title defense on track, setting up a quarter-final clash against the winner of the match between Switzerland and Colombia.