Argentina's World Cup Win Over Egypt Overshadowed by VAR Dispute

By Al Mayadeen English

7 Jul 2026 23:46

Egypt's coach accuses FIFA of favoring Messi after a disputed VAR call overturns a goal in Argentina's 3-2 comeback win at the World Cup.

Argentina reached the World Cup quarter-finals with a 3-2 comeback win over Egypt on Tuesday, but the result was overshadowed by a disputed VAR decision that Egyptian officials and players said cost them a historic victory.

Egypt took a 2-0 lead through Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko, after Lionel Messi had a first-half penalty saved by goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir. It was Messi's second missed penalty of the tournament and his fourth in World Cup competition.

Shobeir also denied Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez from close range as Egypt, playing in their first World Cup knockout match since 1934, threatened to eliminate the defending champions.

Argentina's response came late. Cristian Romero headed in a goal in the 79th minute, Messi equalized from close range four minutes later, and Enzo Fernandez scored a header in stoppage time to complete the turnaround. Argentina will next face the winner of Colombia versus Switzerland.

Disallowed goal becomes flashpoint

The result would have been different, Egyptian players and coaching staff argued, had a VAR review in the 58th minute not overturned a goal that would have put Egypt 2-0 up.

Ziko had converted a breakaway finish, but the goal was disallowed after video review flagged a challenge by Egyptian midfielder Marawan Attia on Argentina's Lisandro Martinez at the opposite end of the pitch, well before the move that led to the goal.

Fox Sports commentator Rob Green criticized the decision on air, saying the review fell outside VAR's intended scope given the distance and timing between the challenge and the goal. He noted that the referee had already seen the incident live and declined to award a foul, meaning the video review reversed an on-field call rather than correcting a missed one.

Egypt did score a second goal shortly after, in the 67th minute, but by then the disallowed goal had already shifted the course of the match.

Egyptian players also protested a penalty claim before Argentina's equalizer, which was not given. A member of Egypt's coaching staff was sent off following Fernandez's winning goal amid further protests.

Egypt's coach accuses FIFA of favoring Messi

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan was scathing afterward, accusing FIFA and match officials of favoring Messi and Argentina for commercial reasons.

He said the tournament had become driven by marketing interests that would not allow Messi to be eliminated, calling the result unjust and arguing Egypt had outplayed Argentina and deserved to advance.

He added that he would not watch any more matches for the remainder of the tournament in protest, while praising his players as "heroes" for the run they had produced.

Ziko echoed the criticism, describing the officiating as biased and repeatedly calling the result unfair, while "congratulating" Argentina for winning the World Cup in advance.

A historic run ends in frustration

The defeat ended a landmark run for Egypt, whose progress to the knockout stage for the first time ever had drawn wide attention across the country and the region, including public support for Palestine from Hassan following an earlier win over Australia.

The manner of the loss, a two-goal lead surrendered in the final minutes, compounded by the disputed VAR call, left Egyptian fans and officials describing the elimination as undeserved.