World Cup 2026: Egypt's Shobair saves Messi penalty as Morocco cites squad‑depth weakness

Egyptian goalkeeper Mustafa Shobair explained how he studied Lionel Messi’s penalty routine before the 2026 World Cup round‑of‑16 match against Argentina, allowing him to anticipate the shot and make the save. Despite the successful stop, Egypt fell 3‑2 and were eliminated.

Former Morocco international Mustapha Haji highlighted that Morocco’s performance at the tournament was hampered by a thin bench, saying the limited options for substitutes reduced the team’s ability to compete with top nations in critical moments. He called for a broader pool of international‑level players to build depth for future competitions.