Egypt coach Hossam Hassan decries officiating after Argentina comeback defeat

In the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, Egypt led Argentina 2–0 before the Argentine side turned the match around to win 3–2 in stoppage time. Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan accused the French referee team of bias, saying a disallowed Egyptian goal and a missed foul in the penalty area affected the result. He claimed the referee “provoked confusion and nerves” among his players.

Hassan responded by making the FIFA anti‑racism “X” gesture, for which he received a yellow card, and later filed an official protest with FIFA. He argued the gesture was a protest against the officiating, not a racism call. In post‑match interviews he labelled the Argentine players “provocateurs” and said “they wanted to start a fire”.

The Egyptian side also avoided mentioning Lionel Messi by referring to him as “the number 10” in tactical talks, stating that saying his name could intimidate players. Similar complaints were lodged by Algeria over perceived leniency toward Messi. FIFA said it was reviewing the incidents.

The controversy has sparked debate over VAR use, referee accountability and the impact of star players on match officiating.