The Argentine national team, led by star Lionel Messi, looks to secure a spot in the World Cup quarter-finals as it faces its Egyptian counterpart on Tuesday in a highly anticipated match in Atlanta, amid a fierce race for the Golden Boot. The defending champion meets Egypt, led by top scorer Mohamed Salah, in an effort to clinch a spot in the quarter-finals, where the winner will face the victor of the Switzerland-Colombia match. Argentina narrowly escaped a major upset in the round of 32 against Cape Verde, settling the match in extra time thanks to an own goal scored by Denny Borges into his own net, in a game that drained the efforts of the 'Albiceleste' players. On the other hand, Egypt aims to continue its historic run after reaching the knockout stages, knowing that it has never advanced past the round of 16 in World Cup finals. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said: 'We are fully focused, just as we were before the Cape Verde match. Egypt is a strong team with exceptional players, and their coach has been with the team for a while, playing good football and always making it difficult for opponents.' He added: 'Mohamed Salah is a wonderful player, and it will be a pleasure to face him. Our team knows how to deal with great players, and we always prepare for such challenges.' Scaloni confirmed that Messi, aged 39, is ready to start despite playing the entire previous match, including extra time. Messi shares the top of the tournament's scoring chart with Frenchman Kylian Mbappé and Norwegian Erling Haaland, each with seven goals, while the Real Madrid star leads the race thanks to two crucial assists. The competition between Messi and Mbappé for the all-time top scorer in World Cup tournaments is also heating up, with the Argentine star leading by one goal after raising his tally to 20 goals. Argentina is aware that it needs to perform better against Egypt, who have not suffered any defeat so far and managed to eliminate Australia on penalties in the round of 32. Salah, who is currently without a club after leaving English side Liverpool, has scored only one goal in four matches in the tournament so far. On his part, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan confirmed that his team prepares for all opponents in the same way, saying: 'We prepare our players regardless of the opponent's shirt color, name, or ranking. This is the World Cup, a great opportunity to prove ourselves and that we deserve to be here.'