Egypt Coach Hossam Hassan Blames Refereeing for World Cup Exit
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan said match officials cost his team a quarter‑final place after the Pharaohs’ 3‑2 defeat to Argentina in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Egypt had opened a 2‑0 lead with just over ten minutes left, appearing on the brink of a major upset.
Argentina rallied late, with goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández to overturn the deficit and advance as defending champions.
The match was marred by controversy when a potential third Egyptian goal was disallowed after VAR review, and Hassan claimed his side should have been awarded a penalty.
Despite the collapse, Hassan insisted his team deserved more, saying he would not watch any more tournament games and called the outcome unfair.
He added that the key decisions changed the match’s course and that he hates losing, especially when it feels unjust.
Forward Mostafa Ziko echoed the criticism, telling TSN that the referee wasted their efforts and that the loss was not fair.
Ziko apologized to Egyptian fans, saying they wanted to bring joy but the referee’s calls tipped the balance toward Argentina.
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