Team India defender Sandesh Jhingan has backed Argentina to bounce back strongly in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 against Egypt, dismissing their unconvincing win over Cabo Verde as a momentary lapse rather than a structural flaw in Lionel Scaloni's side.

Jhingan's Take on Argentina's Defence

Argentina conceded twice in their Round of 32 encounter against Cabo Verde, raising questions about their defensive reliability. Jhingan, speaking as part of the Zee5 FIFA World Cup 2026 expert panel, urged against reading too much into a single below-par performance.

'Of course, when you concede two goals, people immediately question the defence. But one average performance shouldn't make you feel you're suddenly not good enough, just like one great performance shouldn't make you think you're invincible. If you look at Argentina's record over the last 10-15 games, they have hardly conceded. For me, one of their biggest strengths is their defensive solidity, and they'll look at the Cabo Verde game as just a small bump in the road. The important thing was getting the win, and I expect them to be much sharper against Egypt,' Jhingan said.

How Argentina Can Neutralise Egypt's Threat

Jhingan anticipates Egypt deploying a counter-attacking game plan built around Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. However, he believes Argentina's high-intensity counter-press will be the decisive factor in shutting down those transitions.

'Egypt will probably sit back and look to hit Argentina on the counter because that's where their strengths lie. But one thing I admire about Argentina is how quickly they counter-press after losing possession. They hunt in packs and don't allow opponents many transition opportunities. If Egypt wants to minimise Messi's influence, the key isn't trying to stop him one-on-one; it's cutting off the supply from players like Rodrigo De Paul and Alexis Mac Allister. That's the only realistic way to reduce his impact,' he added.

Switzerland vs Colombia: A Tactical Battle

Turning his attention to the Switzerland versus Colombia Round of 16 fixture, Jhingan advised Switzerland to persist with their possession-based build-up play as a tool to draw out Colombia's aggressive press and exploit the space it leaves behind.

'I think they would fancy keeping the build-up plan because one of the reasons why teams do build-up is to invite pressure. When you do a high press, you leave a lot of space behind. Switzerland will want Colombia to come out from their own half because that creates the spaces they can exploit with just one, two or three passes,' he explained.

Colombia's Flair vs Switzerland's Discipline

Jhingan praised Colombia as one of the tournament's most complete sides, highlighting James Rodríguez's midfield control and Luis Díaz's pace as their chief weapons. He was equally complimentary of Switzerland's compact mid-block and tactical discipline, singling out Manzambi as their attacking X-factor.

'Colombia have been one of the most exciting teams in the tournament. They create superiority in midfield through James Rodríguez, control possession well and then use the pace of Luis Díaz to attack the spaces behind. They're a very complete side. But Switzerland are equally impressive in a different way. They're compact, tactically disciplined and defend with a very organised mid-block. I actually have a feeling Switzerland might edge this one, but I think both teams are so evenly matched that whoever makes fewer mistakes in midfield and makes better decisions will probably progress to the quarter-finals,' he said.

With the knockout rounds now in full swing, Jhingan's assessments offer a seasoned defender's perspective on what could prove decisive as the World Cup enters its most critical phase.