Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has questioned the officiating in his side’s dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina, suggesting the defending champions benefited from favourable decisions because of Lionel Messi’s presence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to the Egyptian news outlet Ahram Online, Hassan made the remarks after Egypt surrendered a two-goal lead before Enzo Fernández scored a stoppage-time winner, sending Argentina into the quarter-finals.
The Pharaohs looked on course for one of the biggest upsets of the tournament after opening a 2-0 lead, only for Argentina to stage a remarkable late comeback through Cristian Romero, Messi and Fernández.
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, Hassan said he was proud of his players for reaching the knockout stage for the first time in Egypt’s World Cup history.
“I am very happy with my team’s performance at the World Cup,” Hassan told reporters.
