FIFA wanted Messi to stay at World Cup: Egypt coach sparks controversy after ARG loss
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan accused FIFA of wanting Lionel Messi and Argentina to stay at the World Cup after his side’s dramatic 3-2 round of 16 defeat on Tuesday, claiming the defending champions had “received support at all levels” during their remarkable comeback.
Egypt looked set to produce one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history after taking a 2-0 lead and staying in control until the closing stages. However, Argentina produced a stunning comeback, with Cristian Romero, Messi and Enzo Fernandez scoring three goals in 13 minutes. to seal a 3-2 victory and secure their place in the quarter-finals.
The collapse infuriated the Egyptian camp, with Hassan insisting his side had outplayed the world champions, claiming factors outside of football influenced the outcome.
“We looked better than the reigning champions, better in everything, but the result was influenced by internal factors on the pitch and external factors off it,” Hassan told reporters after the match.
“Maybe they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Maybe they wanted Messi to stay the course. In football, sometimes there are external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champion got support at all levels.”
VAR’S DECISION CAUSES EGYPTIAN ANGER
Egypt’s frustration centered on a series of questionable moments, with the biggest flare-up coming in the 59th minute when Mostafa Ziko had a goal ruled out by VAR, a decision Hassan believes changed the course of the match.
The visitors were also angered by the absence of a penalty after Mohamed Salah appeared to have been fouled in the box. They further claimed that Alexis Mac Allister fouled Enzo Fernandez’s stoppage-time winner without VAR intervention.
“There seems to be pressure from Argentina for this result. We objected to the choice of referee because of the situation in France (Argentina beat France in the 2022 World Cup final) but everyone has to suffer at some point and we did,” Hassan said.
“We didn’t see respect or fair play. The penalty was disallowed, it wasn’t even checked by VAR and our second goal was, remarkably, disallowed for whatever reason. We all saw the shirt pulled and not even a VAR check.”
“Life is unfair, normal life is unfair, so why is there no justice in sports?”
“I want to put it in nice words and say good luck, but we were treated unfairly and it was an injustice.
‘I WILL NEVER WATCH A WORLD CHAMPION AGAIN’
Hassan later doubled down on his criticism in an interview with beIN Sports, revealing what he said to the referee after the final whistle, saying the events left him disillusioned with the tournament.
“I told the referee that what was happening was not fair. It is an undeserved victory for Argentina,” said Hassan.
Full-time Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan’s interview:
“I’ll say what I mean, regardless of the consequences, this was clearly a rigged match and the whole world saw it.
“And I want to say one more thing, if they want Argentina to win so badly, why challenge everyone — Danis (@DanisMCFC) July 7, 2026
“Once I am back in my country and at home, I will never watch the World Cup again because there is no justice in this competition.”
The Egypt coach was already booked during the match after making an anti-racism gesture to FIFA when he protested the referee’s decision, reflecting growing frustration on the touchline as Argentina launched their comeback.
Hassan’s comments are expected to come under the scrutiny of FIFA, with the governing body likely to review his post-match remarks. The accusations have already sparked a wide debate, and disciplinary action against the Egypt coach cannot be ruled out.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
08 Jul 2026 08:42 IST