Egypt Football Chief Hany Abu Rida on Loss to Argentina at World Cup 2026

Hany Abu Rida, president of the Egyptian Football Association, said the Egyptian players entered their World Cup 2026 match against Argentina with great confidence and no fear of facing stars such as Lionel Messi. He noted that the team showed "a high level of focus and determination" before the game.

Abu Rida alleged that Egypt suffered refereeing injustices in the final minutes, which contributed to the defeat. He said no Egyptian player sought a Messi shirt after the loss, while several Argentine players asked for one belonging to Mohamed Salah, reflecting Salah’s global reputation. He had expected Egypt to reach the semi‑final stage of the tournament.