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[SPORTS] · Egypt, Argentina, United States · 100 sources

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan decries refereeing after Argentina loss

In the round‑of‑16 match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Atlanta, Egypt fell 3‑2 to defending champions Argentina after leading 2‑0. Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico put the Pharaohs ahead, but Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández turned the game around.

Coach Hossam Hassan accused French referee François Letexier of bias, stating “this was a fixed match and everyone saw it.” He criticised VAR decisions that disallowed Zico’s early goal and ignored what he called a clear penalty on Hamdy Fathy. Hassan said the tournament was “designed for Messi” and vowed never to watch another World Cup match. The Egyptian Football Federation lodged a formal complaint with FIFA, demanding the referee team be removed.

Players echoed the frustration; forward Mostafa Zico called the official “unfair.” During the post‑match press conference, Hassan displayed a photo of Letexier on social media and used strong language, prompting FIFA to warn about violations of its political‑expression rules. The incident also saw an Argentine fan wave an Israeli flag at the stadium, leading to a heated exchange with Hassan.

The controversy has sparked debate over officiating standards and the influence of politics in sport.

Sources

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