Atlanta, USA – Ibrahim Hassan, the manager of the Egyptian national team, launched a scathing attack on the refereeing team of the Argentina match, asserting that the mistakes witnessed in the match were a major reason for the Pharaohs’ exit from the 2026 World Cup. He described what happened as “premeditated corruption”.
Egypt’s national team was eliminated from the World Cup after losing to Argentina 3-2. The match was played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium as part of the Round of 16.
“They shattered our joy”
Ibrahim Hassan said in statements via MBC Egypt: “They shattered our joy. We hoped to leave the tournament with our heads held high, but we left feeling deeply defeated. If we had lost on the field normally and with honor, we would not have felt all this pain”.
He added that all the players and members of the coaching staff are deeply saddened, feeling that the team suffered from biased refereeing from the very first moments of the match.
Criticism of the referee’s decisions
The team manager confirmed that television replays revealed numerous refereeing errors. He also pointed out that the Argentinian players committed clear fouls without any intervention from the referee.
He explained: “We were talking to the referee and the fourth official throughout the match, but we did not get any response. Instead, we were threatened with warnings, and Saafan Al-Saghir was sent off, and Hossam Hassan was warned”.
“Premeditated corruption”
Ibrahim Hassan continued his attack, saying: “What happened was injustice and corruption with premeditation and intent, and it was not just a coincidence. I feel that there was a prior decision for the match to end in this way”.
He added that there were videos, as he described them, showing FIFA officials celebrating Argentina’s goal. He also stated that these scenes raised serious questions.
Questions about fair play
The manager of the Egyptian national team expressed his surprise at what happened, asking: “Where is the principle of fair play that they talk about? I never imagined I would see such things in the World Cup”.
He added that teams seeking to prove themselves, in his opinion, face significant difficulties. He also questioned whether only certain teams are intended to remain at the forefront of the tournament.
Demanding a penalty kick and protesting the disallowed goal
Ibrahim Hassan pointed out that, in his opinion, the Egyptian national team was denied a penalty kick after Hamdi Fathi was pulled inside the penalty area. He also believed that Mohamed Salah was fouled in a similar manner.
He also objected to the cancellation of Egypt’s goal, asserting that the Argentine player fell without any real foul, in his opinion.
Criticism of FIFA and the Best Player award
He added: “What happened was an unnatural injustice, and we cannot do anything, because the African and Asian teams seem to have no power or influence, while the International Federation knows in advance who it wants to give the advantage to”.
He also criticized the way the best player award was chosen, saying: “How can a player who plays in a league that only three people watch get it?”, referring to Lionel Messi, considering what is happening “not normal”.
“I don’t think about myself”
Ibrahim Hassan concluded his remarks by emphasizing that his sadness was not personal, but rather stemmed from what the Egyptian national team and its fans had endured. He said, “I assure you that we were wronged, and I’m not thinking about myself, but about my country, my national team, the coaching staff, the players, and the fans who were waiting for this moment of joy. They shattered all our happiness, and I don’t know who benefits from this”.
