Egypt’s Controversial VAR-Disallowed Goal in Olympic Match vs Argentina
During a 2024 Olympic football round-of-16 match, Egypt led Argentina 1-0 when Mostafa Ziko scored a second goal after a counterattack involving Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan. Referee François Letexier initially allowed it, but VAR disallowed the goal due to an earlier foul by Egyptian player Attia on Argentina’s Lisandro Martinez. Minutes later, Egypt scored a nearly identical goal that was allowed, securing a 2-0 lead. The match featured additional VAR controversy over a potential penalty for Egypt.
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Why is VAR controversial? Egypt's World Cup exit sparks debate
Egypt's dramatic FIFA World Cup exit to Argentina has reignited controversy over the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. The article examines why Egypt's goal was disallowed, how VAR actually works, and why it continues to divide players, officials, and fans. Published by The Hindu on July 13, 2026, the piece provides a breakdown of the incident and the ongoing debate surrounding the technology's role in football.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Egyptian Officials Escalate Criticism of FIFA and Argentina Over World Cup Elimination
Egypt's controversial 3-2 round of 16 loss to Argentina in the 2026 World Cup continues to provoke outrage in Cairo. In an interview with Kora Plus, assistant coach Ibrahim Hassan and his brother Hossam Hassan strongly criticized Lionel Messi for alleged provocative behavior, the Argentine delegation's attitude, and referee François Letexier's decisions. Key flashpoints include a disallowed Egyptian goal for a foul and a perceived foul before Argentina's winning goal. The Egyptian Football Federation has filed an official complaint against Letexier, demanding greater consistency and transparency. International figures including José Mourinho, Alan Shearer, and Thierry Henry have weighed in, with some supporting Egypt's grievances. The controversy has amplified tensions around the tournament's officiating standards.
Foot Mercato : Info Transferts Football - Actu Foot TransfertLionel Scaloni Dismisses Favoritism Accusations Against Argentina Ahead of World Cup Quarterfinal
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has strongly rejected accusations that his team receives preferential treatment from referees, a controversy that reignited after Argentina's round of 16 victory over Egypt. The Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan had claimed the match was 'clearly rigged' after a VAR decision disallowed an Egyptian goal due to a foul on Lisandro Martinez. Speaking before the quarterfinal against Switzerland, Scaloni noted that such accusations are not new, recalling similar claims from 1986. He argued that VAR makes it 'very difficult to get help' and that the foul on Martinez was clear-cut. Scaloni suggested the controversy is amplified by social media, where 'even the smallest things take on disproportionate proportions.' Defender Lisandro Martinez also defended the referees, saying they are doing an 'excellent job' and that the media generates the controversies. Scaloni said the team uses such criticism as motivation to push themselves further.
Foot Mercato : Info Transferts Football - Actu Foot TransfertArgentina investigating cyberattack after emails sent describing Egypt win as 'robbery'
The Argentine Football Federation (AFA) is investigating a possible cyberattack after mass emails were sent to journalists, including one from The Athletic, calling for 'justice' for Egypt following their 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 loss to Argentina. The email, with the subject line 'SYSTEM HACKED: UNFAIR DECISION' and signed by 'All Egyptian Cyber Warriors,' described the match as '90 minutes of unfair refereeing' and claimed the win was 'stolen.' The controversy stems from a disallowed Egypt goal after VAR review and a potential penalty not awarded. Egypt's coach Hossam Hassan, who has publicly supported Palestine, said he will 'never watch the World Cup again' due to perceived injustice. The AFA confirmed it is conducting IT checks and urged recipients to ignore the messages.
Soccer - The AthleticArgentina investigating cyberattack after emails sent describing Egypt win as 'robbery'
The Argentine Football Federation (AFA) is investigating a cyberattack after mass emails were sent to journalists from its accounts, calling for 'justice' for Egypt following their 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 loss to Argentina. The emails, signed by 'All Egyptian Cyber Warriors,' described the match as a 'robbery' and claimed Egypt's coach Hossam Hassan was 'targeted for standing with Palestine.' The match featured controversial refereeing decisions, including a disallowed Egypt goal and a potential penalty not awarded. Egypt's coach said he will 'never watch the World Cup again' due to perceived injustice. The AFA confirmed it is working with its IT department to implement security measures and asked recipients to ignore the messages.
Soccer - The AthleticEgyptian Hackers Breach Argentine FA Email, Send Fake Match-Fixing Admission to FIFA
According to The Telegraph, after Argentina's World Cup round of 16 victory over Egypt, Egyptian hackers allegedly broke into the Argentine Football Association's (AFA) email system and sent fraudulent emails from an official AFA account. The emails claimed that Argentina's win was due to 'corrupt refereeing' and targeted French referee François Letexier, who had been criticized by Egyptian players and coach Hossam Hassan for alleged bias. The AFA denied the emails' authenticity, stating they were not generated or authorized by the team, and urged recipients to ignore them. Uruguayan media reported that the hackers obtained email addresses, passwords, and IP addresses from the AFA database. Egypt's coach suggested FIFA favored Argentina and Messi, while FIFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina denied any external influence on referees.
虎扑 - 足球Argentina FA suspects cyber attack after emails criticizing World Cup refereeing
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has indicated it may have suffered a cyber attack after emails from its official accounts reportedly criticized refereeing in Argentina's dramatic 3-2 World Cup last-16 win against Egypt. Argentine news outlet La Calle reported that emails sent from AFA accounts to journalists stated 'Argentina did not win' and blamed 'corrupt refereeing decisions,' with AFA sources suggesting Egyptian-origin hackers were responsible. The AFA issued a statement acknowledging possible unauthorized access to one of its institutional accounts and urged the public to dismiss unusual messages. The incident follows the Egyptian Football Association's formal complaint to FIFA alleging referee bias in favor of Argentina, including claims that officials favored Lionel Messi. Argentina staged a remarkable late comeback from 2-0 down, with goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi, and Enzo Fernandez to reach the quarter-finals against Switzerland.
BBC SportArgentina FA suspects hacking after emails criticize refereeing in World Cup win over Egypt
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has indicated it may have suffered a cyber attack after emails from its official accounts reportedly criticized refereeing in Argentina's dramatic 3-2 World Cup last-16 win against Egypt. Argentine news outlet La Calle reported that emails sent from AFA accounts to journalists stated 'Argentina did not win' and blamed 'corrupt refereeing decisions.' AFA sources suggested Egyptian-origin hackers were responsible. The AFA issued a statement acknowledging possible unauthorized access to one of its institutional accounts, asking the public to dismiss unusual messages and stating it is working to clarify the incident and adopt necessary security measures. The match saw Argentina come from 2-0 down to win with goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi, and Enzo Fernandez. Egypt had previously asked FIFA to banish referee Francois Letexier, alleging bias in favor of Argentina.
BBC SportArgentina Claims Hacking by Egyptian Group After World Cup Controversy
The Argentine Football Federation (AFA) has released a statement claiming its systems were hacked by Egyptian-origin hackers following Argentina's controversial 3-2 World Cup win over Egypt. The hackers allegedly sent mass emails from AFA accounts to accredited media, accusing French referee Francois Letexier of corrupt refereeing decisions that 'snatched' Egypt's victory. The emails praised Egypt's performance and threatened further cyber-attacks if 'justice' is not served. Argentina's statement urged recipients to disregard unusual messages and confirmed an investigation with their IT department. The match saw Egypt's Mohamed Salah denied a penalty and a goal disallowed, sparking outrage from Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan. FIFA's Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina defended the officials, stating unfounded allegations have no place in football.
Mirror - FootballFIFA's referee chief Pierluigi Collina hits back at suggestion of biased officials at World Cup
FIFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina has strongly rejected allegations that match officials showed bias toward Argentina during their World Cup round-of-16 match against Egypt. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan had criticized referee Francois Letexier, claiming his side was 'treated unfairly' after a VAR decision disallowed a second goal and a penalty was not awarded. Collina stated that no one, not even FIFA president Gianni Infantino, can influence referees, and called unfounded allegations dangerous as they can lead to threats against officials and their families. He defended the VAR process, saying a foul is a foul regardless of timing or distance from goal. The match saw Argentina win 3-1, with Enzo Fernandez scoring the third goal in stoppage time.
Soccer - The AthleticFIFA's referee chief Pierluigi Collina rejects bias allegations after Egypt-Argentina World Cup match
FIFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina has strongly denied allegations that match officials were biased towards Argentina during their World Cup round-of-16 match against Egypt. The denial came after Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan criticized referee Francois Letexier, claiming his side was 'treated unfairly' and 'suffered injustice' in the 2-1 defeat. Egypt believed they were wrongly denied a second goal due to a VAR intervention and were not awarded a stoppage-time penalty before Argentina's winning goal. Collina stated that 'nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA president,' and warned that unfounded allegations could lead to threats against officials and their families. He defended the VAR process, saying a foul is a foul regardless of time or distance from the goal. The article also notes that English referees cannot officiate Argentina's World Cup games due to allocation rules.
Soccer - The AthleticFIFA's referee chief Pierluigi Collina hits back at suggestion of biased officials at World Cup
FIFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina has strongly rejected allegations that match officials are biased towards Argentina, following complaints from Egypt's head coach Hossam Hassan after their round-of-16 World Cup defeat. Hassan accused referee Francois Letexier of unfair treatment, citing a disallowed Egypt goal and a denied penalty in stoppage time before Argentina's winning goal. Collina stated that no one, not even FIFA president Gianni Infantino, can influence FIFA refereeing, and defended the integrity of match officials. He also warned that unfounded allegations can lead to threats against referees and their families. The controversy centers on a VAR decision that ruled out a goal by Egypt's Mostafa Ziko due to a foul in the build-up, which Collina explained as consistent with FIFA's policy that any foul, regardless of distance or time elapsed, can be reviewed.
Soccer - The AthleticFIFA referees chief Pierluigi Collina hits back at World Cup officiating allegations
FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina has defended World Cup match officials following allegations of bias during Argentina's dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Egypt, which eliminated Mohamed Salah from the tournament. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan accused referee Francois Letexier of unfairness, claiming 'the cup is directed towards Argentina.' Collina stated that while some decisions may not go as expected, the integrity of officials cannot be questioned. The article also notes other officiating flashpoints, including a controversial suspended red card for USA's Folarin Balogun after a call from Donald Trump, and France's complaints about lack of protection against Paraguay.
Mirror - FootballNew York Mayor Fuels World Cup Conspiracy Theory with 'Robbed' Allegation Over Egypt-Argentina Match
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked controversy by referencing Egypt's 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 loss to Argentina during a speech promoting a bus improvement plan. The match was marred by a VAR dispute after a goal by Egypt's Mostafa Zico was disallowed for a foul that occurred over 20 seconds earlier. Egypt's Football Association filed an official complaint against French referee Francois Letexier, citing inconsistent and unfair officiating. One Egypt player claimed the tournament was 'fixed.' Mamdani, a football enthusiast, told constituents that agreeing 'Egypt were robbed yesterday' was part of the time saved by better bus service. The article highlights the intersection of local politics and global sports controversy.
Mirror - FootballFIFA Rejects Egypt's Claims That Argentina World Cup Match Was Rigged
FIFA has officially responded to Egypt's allegations that their 2026 World Cup Round of 16 match against Argentina was rigged. The controversy centered on two decisions by French referee Francois Letexier: a disallowed Egypt goal after VAR review for a buildup foul, and a failure to review an alleged foul on Mohamed Salah before Argentina's 93rd-minute winner by Enzo Fernandez. The Egyptian Football Association filed a formal complaint, and manager Hossam Hassan labeled the game 'clearly rigged.' FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina dismissed the claims, stating that match officials make honest decisions and cannot be influenced by anyone. The response was posted on FIFA Media's X account, reaffirming the integrity of the officiating.
Yardbarker: SoccerThe Argentina VAR Debate: Why Every Big Refereeing Decision Is Becoming A FIFA Crisis
Argentina's 3-2 comeback win over Egypt in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 has reignited intense debate over the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. The match featured three controversial moments: a disallowed Egyptian goal after a lengthy VAR review for a foul in the attacking phase, a denied penalty appeal for Egypt when Mohamed Salah went down in the area, and Argentina's winning goal by Enzo Fernandez. Critics argue that the decisions created a perception of double standards, with Egypt's goal subjected to forensic review while similar incidents involving Argentina were not reviewed. The article examines whether VAR is making football fairer or simply replacing human error with technological confusion, and notes that while there is no evidence of FIFA manipulation, the erosion of trust in officiating is a growing concern for the sport.
Yardbarker: SoccerFifa Referees Chief Rejects Bias Claims from Trump and Egypt
Fifa's referees chief Pierluigi Collina has strongly rejected allegations of refereeing bias at the World Cup made by US President Donald Trump and the Egypt national team. Trump claimed Brazilian referee Raphael Claus was 'suspect' after sending off US striker Folarin Balogun, and later asserted his pressure led to the ban being suspended. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan called their 3-2 loss to Argentina 'clearly a rigged match,' accusing French referee Francois Letexier of bias. Collina stated that unfounded allegations have no place in football and can provoke threats against officials and their families. He also defended the integrity of match officials, asserting that even Fifa president Gianni Infantino cannot influence refereeing decisions. Collina specifically addressed Egypt's complaints about a disallowed goal and a challenge on Mohamed Salah, explaining VAR protocols for reviewing fouls in attacking possession phases. England coach Thomas Tuchel also criticized refereeing standards without alleging bias.
City AMFIFA Refereeing Chief Collina Dismisses Argentina-Egypt World Cup Controversies
Pierluigi Collina, FIFA's head of refereeing and a former top referee, publicly defended the officiating in the 2026 World Cup round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt, which Argentina won 3-2. The match, refereed by French official François Letexier, was marked by several contentious decisions, including a disallowed Egyptian goal and Argentina's winning goal. Egypt's federation filed a complaint against Letexier. Collina explained that the disallowed goal was correct because Egypt's Marwan Attia committed a clear foul (stepping on Lisandro Martinez's foot) in the buildup, and VAR correctly intervened. Regarding Argentina's winning goal, Collina stated that the contact between Mohamed Salah and Julian Alvarez was judged as normal game contact, with the defender touching the ball first, so no foul occurred. Collina also condemned accusations against World Cup refereeing as 'unacceptable.'
Home Football - actualitésEgypt Files Official Protest Over Referee Decisions in World Cup Loss to Argentina; FIFA Referee Chief Collina Responds
Egypt has officially protested their 2-3 World Cup round of 16 loss to Argentina, alleging critical referee errors by French official François Letexier. The Egyptian Football Association filed a complaint and demanded the referee team's exclusion from the tournament. Key disputed incidents include a jersey pull on Egyptian player Hamdi Fathi by Argentina's Alexis Mac Allister before the winning goal, and a disallowed Egyptian goal by Mostafa Ziko. FIFA referee chief Pierluigi Collina defended Letexier and all World Cup referees, stating that no one may question their integrity and that the refereeing department cannot be influenced. He warned that such accusations could lead to threats against officials and their families. Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan accused Argentina of pressuring the referee. The controversy adds to growing criticism of World Cup officiating.
Nachrichten - WELTNew York Mayor Zohran Mamdani Jokes About Egypt 'Getting Robbed' in World Cup Match, Fueling Refereeing Controversy
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked laughter and reignited controversy by joking that he would use time saved from transportation modernization to watch the replay of Egypt 'getting robbed' in their World Cup round of 16 match against Argentina. The match, officiated by French referee François Letexier, saw Argentina come back from 2-0 down to win 3-2, but a disallowed Egyptian goal for a foul in the buildup has drawn widespread criticism. Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan and players have accused FIFA of favoring Argentina, and Egypt has filed a complaint with FIFA. Mamdani's remarks align with those criticizing the officiating, adding a political dimension to the sports debate.
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