​Egypt accused FIFA of rigging the World Cup in Argentina’s favor after Lionel Messi inspired the holders to a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory in the last 16. Coach Hossam Hassan said his nation had been the victim of an “injustice,” while striker Mostafa Zico claimed the competition had been “fixed.” Egypt’s fury centered on two pivotal moments: an early disallowed goal for a foul in the build-up and a later goal by Argentina despite a similar foul.
With the score at 1-0 to Egypt, Zico appeared to have doubled the lead with one of the tournament’s standout goals. He buried a precise finish from close range after a flowing team move and a well-placed pass from Mohamed Salah. However, the celebrations were cut short when VAR intervened, ruling that Marwan Attia had stepped on Lisandro Martínez 17 seconds before the ball went in. Replays indicated contact was minimal, but the decision stood, and the Egyptian goal was disallowed.
The disallowance came as Egypt had taken a 1-0 lead, though Zico eventually found the net again at 67 minutes to push his side into a commanding position. The goal appeared to seal a dramatic turnaround for the Egyptians, but Argentina mounted a comeback of their own, underscoring the contentious nature of the contest.
Another flashpoint emerged in stoppage time when Enzo Fernández netted a late winner for Argentina. Egypt argued that Salah had been fouled in the box prior to the decisive moment, with Julián Álvarez contacting Salah’s boot and sending him to the ground. The challenge bore similarities to Attia’s earlier foul on Martínez, yet no penalty was awarded, and play continued to the other end for Argentina’s winner.
Because the contact occurred inside the penalty area, there is a higher threshold for VAR intervention in cases that could result in a penalty. Officials determined there was not enough contact to merit a review, and the match concluded with Argentina’s late strike.
Hossam Hassan did not hold back in questioning the refereeing and the broader integrity of the competition. “Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition,” he said. “Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running. We looked better compared to the reigning champions. We were better in everything. The result was influenced by internal factors on the pitch and external factors. Life is unfair. The world is unfair. Normal life is unfair. Why isn’t there any fairness in sport? In football? I do not want to try to put it nicely here with beautiful wording. We have been treated unfairly today. We have suffered injustice. I am not going to continue following the matches of this World Cup. It is my own way of speaking up and standing up. I am not going to watch a single match of this tournament.” Hassan even received a yellow card for his criticisms of the officiating during the second half.
The events beneath the surface of this match have reignited debates about refereeing consistency and the treatment of perceived injustices in major tournaments. While the governing body and match officials defended their decisions, the sentiments voiced by Hassan reflect a broader frustration among fans and teams who feel hard-luck narratives are too often the defining features of high-stakes fixtures. The Argentina- Egypt encounter will be remembered not only for Messi’s influence and the dramatic late twist but also for the contentious decisions that supporters say swung the outcome and left a haunting sense of unresolved questions about fairness in the world game.