​The Egyptian men’s soccer team suggested that a higher power influenced their 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16, though not necessarily God, perhaps FIFA itself. The African side had taken a 1-0 lead when Haissem Hassan fed the ball to Mo Salah, who laid it off to Mostafa Ziko for a goal in the 58th minute. But video-assisted replay (VAR) overturned the decision, showing Marwan Attia tangled with Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez on the other side of the pitch. The foul call was retroactively applied, and Ziko’s goal was disallowed. The decision drew immediate criticism, including from Fox broadcasters, who argued that VAR had overstepped its purpose. Egypt appeared to receive what they viewed as karmic retribution a few minutes later when they scored again, and this one counted.
Yet Lionel Messi and the defending world champions mounted a furious late comeback, prevailing 3-2 with a stoppage-time winner. After the match, Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan was blunt in his critique, alleging some form of interference or behind-the-scenes decision-making affecting the game’s outcome. “We haven’t seen respect or fair play,” he told reporters. “A penalty was ruled out and a second incident that should have been checked for a penalty for us was not even reviewed by the VAR. A second goal was, remarkably, disallowed for reasons unclear. It seems there was pressure on the Argentinian side on the referee that produced this result. Life is unfair. The world is unfair. OK, but why isn’t there any fairness in sports? I’m not convinced by this outcome and by the way things unfolded in this match.”
Hassan also criticized the match’s kickoff time in Atlanta, saying, “Whoever schedules these matches is someone who has never played football. You never schedule a football match at 12 noon.” In a further interview, he went even further in suggesting that the result might have been predetermined. Speaking to beIN Sports, via France24, he asked, “Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition? Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running?” He argued that there can be external factors that transcend the technical aspects of the game, suggesting the world champions benefited from support at every level. “I told the referee that what was happening wasn’t fair. It’s an undeserved victory for Argentina. Once I’m back in my country and at home, I’ll never watch the World Cup again, because there’s no justice in this competition.”
The remarks became a focal point of discussion in the aftermath of a match that swung on VAR calls and late Argentine heroics. Egypt’s coach insisted that there was no justice in the competition and hinted at hidden forces shaping outcomes, prompting a broader debate about fairness, refereeing consistency, and the role of technology in modern football. The incident added to a narrative about perceived biases and the influence of external factors on big-stage matches, a conversation that critics say can undermine trust in the sport’s governance and on-field decisions.