Since their coronation in Qatar, the three-time world champions and title holders have perfected a style built on possession, patience and creativity between the lines. On the opposite side, the North African team — semifinalists in 2022 and the first African nation ever to go that far — suffocate rivals with high pressing, attack open spaces and turn every turnover into a clear scoring chance.
In the warm-up friendlies, the albiceleste have taken the initiative, but this showdown pits a traditional powerhouse against the team that blew up every prediction at the last World Cup. In a group stage where a single slip can shape qualification, every 50-50 ball between South Americans and Maghrebis is fought as if everything depends on it.
Since the last World Cup, the core of the 2022 champions has remained almost untouched, still led by Lionel Messi and backed by a generation used to deciding finals. On the other side, the Atlas Lions arrive with the prestige earned in Qatar: a tight-knit unit with leaders like Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat and Youssef En-Nesyri, all regulars at the top level of European football.
Ninety minutes of technique versus tactical discipline, pedigree against unshakable belief. Don’t just watch it on TV — secure your ticket and experience live a clash that could redefine the course of the World Cup.