The 2026 FIFA World Cup is delivering drama on and off the pitch. FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina stepped into the spotlight to defend a disallowed Egypt goal in Argentina’s narrow 3-2 victory during the round of 16, a match that has since become a lightning rod for accusations of referee bias.
Collina, the bald-headed Italian who is arguably the most famous referee in football history, confirmed that Marwan Attia’s goal was correctly overturned after VAR detected that Attia had stepped on the foot of Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez during the buildup. In Collina’s framing, the call was straightforward: “a foul is a foul.”
What actually happened on the pitch
Argentina edged past Egypt 3-2 in a match played on July 8-9, 2026, advancing to the quarter-finals in the process.
Attia found the back of the net for Egypt in what would have been a crucial goal. VAR intervened, reviewing the entire attacking phase leading up to the strike. The technology flagged contact between Attia and Martinez, specifically Attia stepping on the Argentine defender’s foot.
