Africa-Press. Egypt’s loss to Argentina sparked a wave of controversy mixed with anger after the football match where the Egyptian team lost to Argentina in the final minutes last Tuesday. Comments in various languages quickly flooded social media following Egypt’s exit from the World Cup, as the match’s outcome shifted in the dying moments.
Most comments focused on the sentiment that “Argentina stole the victory from Egypt” despite the superior performance of the Egyptians. The reason for the loss, which seems to have unanimous agreement among commentators and followers on social media, was the “clear and blatant bias of the referee” who disallowed one goal for the Egyptian team and granted additional opportunities to the Argentine team that they did not deserve, according to many.
The political dimension of the match was also evident, as many claimed that Egypt paid the price for its honorable stance in solidarity with the Palestinian people. The Egyptian coach caused a global stir when he raised the Palestinian flag in the heart of the American stadium, dedicating the Egyptian achievement to the Palestinian people facing Israeli occupation.
In a statement to a local source after qualifying for the Round of 16, Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan said: “I dedicate the victory to another party alongside the Egyptian people. I dedicate the victory to the Palestinian people who have never let us down in their support, and I say to them: May God have mercy on our martyrs among you.”
Following these statements, Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar expressed his strong desire for Argentine star Lionel Messi and his national team to win the 2026 World Cup, asserting that this would settle the debate over who is the greatest player in football history. During a television interview, Zohar added: “I really want Messi to win the World Cup again; this will definitively announce that he is the best player of all time.” These comments inspired many commentators to claim that Israel was behind the referee’s bias and the injustice faced by the Egyptian team, which had been superior throughout the match until the situation turned in the final minutes.
The match between Egypt and Argentina dominated discussions among Arabs and others around the world, taking over social media, as activists shared videos supporting their claims regarding the officiating in the match.
Egyptian media personality and presenter on a local channel, Dr. Ahmed Atwan, shared a video he claimed was compiled in Portugal, which garnered millions of views in a short time. He noted that it was “a four-minute video showcasing the most notable fouls and physical violence inflicted by Argentine players against Egypt and how the referee overlooked them and biased towards them.” Atwan stated that the video producers in Portugal simply commented: “A global scandal and unprecedented filth.”
Atwan also shared another clip he claimed was from one of the best sports critics in Spain, who commented: “This is the ugliest and most corrupt officiating in the history of football and sports. Egypt was the victim of the theft of the century. FIFA will forever have its hands stained with this crime.”
A Loss with the Taste of Victory
Palestinian journalist Yasser Al-Zaatreh wrote on his account on a social media platform: “It was a loss with the taste of victory due to the referee’s blatant bias, and because Argentina is the world champion. Argentina is the most brazen model in supporting the Zionist entity in Latin America, and Messi is certainly part of it, as was its clown president before and after him. Therefore, it was natural for the entity’s audience to side with them, even the so-called rationalists among them.”
Al-Zaatreh added: “The senior analyst for the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Nahum Barnea, acknowledged the political dimension in the stance towards sports teams and criticized Netanyahu for not leaving them teams to support due to their global ‘rejection.'”
He continued: “It is certain that Hossam Hassan’s stance, with its pro-Palestinian spirit after the victory over Australia, played a role in provoking the Zionists, but their stance was expected, even if their rude celebration expressed their frustration with the Egyptian coach’s position. Meanwhile, the Arab and Islamic celebration, along with all the free people, of Hossam Hassan’s stance, alongside the unity of the nation’s fans behind the Egyptian team, was a cause for the Zionists’ frustration, who realize that 47 years after Camp David, the nature of the relationship between the two peoples has not changed.”
Journalist Mohamed Salah, former head of the Cairo office of a local newspaper, stated: “Global media gathered scenes confirming how the Egyptian team was slaughtered on the field, and how the match was stolen from them by the decisions of French referee François Letexier, the collusion of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and the negligence of Egyptian Football Association President Hani Abu Rida. This video will not change the result, but it will remain a document reminding everyone that Egypt did not lose to Argentina alone, and it will remain a witness to who was wronged, who colluded, and who neglected.”
Meanwhile, preacher Dr. Iyad Al-Qunibi commented: “We are not a nation measured by the results of a match. Nations do not build their glory on a kicked inflated ball, nor is their dignity measured by a fleeting kick or a referee’s whistle. When all eyes are drawn to the result, and the emotions are drained into it; this in itself is a distraction that we should reconsider its significance in our lives. Matches will end, stadiums will empty, and screens will turn to another event… but the reality of the nation will remain as it is, with its heavy details and accumulated pains, waiting for awareness, not cheering, and action, not shouting, and real championships in arenas where results are not determined in ninety minutes. We ask God for the day to come when the championships of Egyptians and the championships of all our peoples will appear, with their true names and precious identity; not under the name of ‘Pharaohs,’ nor any similar titles that associate the peoples of Muslims with identities other than their Islamic identity.”
Qatari journalist Jaber Al-Harmi wrote: “The Zionists celebrated Argentina’s victory over Egypt, and soon we will all celebrate, led by sister Egypt, the victory over the Zionist entity… they see it as far away, and we see it as near.”
Egypt’s Team is the Winner
Lawyer Mohamed Al-Masouri stated: “The cancellation of the most beautiful goal for the sake of Messi, for the sake of Argentina, for the sake of FIFA… a dirty conspiracy, managing the dirtiest World Cup in history. Egypt’s team is the winner.”
The magazine Maim published a video on its account on a social media platform showing the security checks that Egyptian fans underwent while entering the stadium, stating: “In a scene described by followers as racist, security subjected Egyptian fans to thorough searches while Argentine fans were allowed to pass directly at the entrance of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.”
Shirin Mohamed wrote: “For the record: A global scandal for FIFA, the referee, and Argentina. A four-minute video shows all the corruption that led to Argentina winning at Egypt’s expense and suffering the greatest injustice by an active agent.”
Marwan commented: “What happened to the Egyptian team is the same as what happens to the Egyptian in his daily life; he strives for something and exhausts himself in it, and in the end, it slips away from him and goes to someone else.”
Egyptian journalist Mamoun Fandi published an extensive comment stating: “The effective response to the theft of the match should not be through anger, but through a comprehensive legal and media plan aimed at defending the rights of the Egyptian team first and protecting the integrity of competition in its global form.”
He added: “First, the Egyptian Football Association should prepare a comprehensive legal and technical file that includes all controversial officiating cases, supported by video clips and their precise timing, and analyze them according to the laws of the game and the protocols of video technology. The goal is not to launch accusations but to prove whether the rules were applied correctly or not. Secondly, a detailed official protest should be submitted to FIFA, demanding a review of the officiating crew’s performance and revealing the results of the technical evaluation that referees undergo after each match, and whether the mistakes made directly affected the match result. Thirdly, Egypt should engage in the media battle with the same level of professionalism. This can be done by preparing a file in English explaining the controversial incidents and sending it to international sports media, former referees, and independent analysts, with the aim of conveying the Egyptian narrative to global public opinion. Fourthly, there should be a demand for greater transparency in managing video technology, including publishing or reviewing recordings and explanations related to the critical decisions that affected the match.”
Fandi concluded by saying: “Even if it is unrealistic to replay the match or change the result, defending the rights of the Egyptian team is a national and institutional duty, as the issue is not just about one match, but about the principle of sports justice and Egypt’s right to equal treatment in the largest football tournament in the world. These steps may not change the result, but they could prevent a recurrence of what happened and prove that Egypt does not leave its sports rights unprotected.”
Ahmed Shousha stated: “It is enough for Egypt that it played with honor, integrity, and the fight of men until the last moment in a corrupt match. Yes, we were very wronged, but gaining the respect and appreciation of the entire world from experts, former players, and fans from all over the world eases our pain and sense of injustice. Perhaps we can be a reason for real change in the global football system forever.”
Activist Ghada wrote: “We were not going to the World Cup to win the final; our goal was to raise Egypt’s name and honor it, and this happened, and the whole world is talking about it and sympathizing with it, so thank God for that.”
Another activist said: “Not every victory comes in the form of a win, and not every defeat in life comes in the form of a loss. Teach your children the difference between victory and profit, and between defeat and loss… it is a significant difference… Egypt lost and won, and a whole system gained and lost.”
