EGYPT COACH ALLEGES INJUSTICE AFTER WORLD CUP DEFEAT TO ARGENTINA

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By: Balogun Ibrahim

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has accused match officials of treating his team unfairly following their dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting he will not watch the remainder of the tournament.

Argentina overturned a two-goal deficit in Tuesday’s clash in Atlanta, with Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi drawing the defending champions level before Enzo Fernández scored a stoppage-time winner to seal a place in the quarter-finals.

Reacting after the match through FIFA’s official translation, Hassan said Egypt had been denied fair treatment both on and off the pitch.

“I think the impact of this result goes beyond the defeat itself. We did not see respect or fair play,” he said.

“I’m not convinced by the outcome or by the way events unfolded during the match. I don’t want to hide behind polite words or simply say it was bad luck. We were treated unfairly today. We suffered an injustice.”

The Egyptian coach also suggested there were several issues surrounding the game that deserved closer examination.

“There are many things that need to be questioned, both on and off the pitch. There were negative aspects throughout,” he added.

Hassan said Egypt’s controversial exit had left him so disappointed that he had no interest in watching the rest of the competition.

The Round of 16 appearance marked Egypt’s best performance at the World Cup since 1934 and came during the nation’s first appearance at the tournament since 2018.

His remarks followed a tense exchange with French referee François Letexier after the final whistle, during which Hassan reportedly suggested the official had “something to hide.”

Egypt were left frustrated by two key decisions during the match, including a goal disallowed after a VAR review and the referee’s decision not to review a late penalty appeal involving captain Mohamed Salah.

Several Egyptian players also criticised the officiating after the game, alleging bias, although FIFA has yet to respond publicly to the claims.