‘Messi is favored’ chants are nothing new, it has always been claimed that FIFA favors Messi or apparently ‘Messi buys the trophy’. 2026 is no different in this case, the Round of 16 officially has ended as Argentina and Switzerland secured the very last remaining spots in the Quarter finals, knocking out Egypt and Colombia. Argentina vs Egypt gathered the most attention as the ‘tournaments surprise team’ Egypt started brilliantly and built a 2-0 lead, putting Argentina under immense pressure. However, Argentina surged a remarkable comeback, scoring three goals to win 3-2, within 13 minutes of the remaining time. The game ended but the drama didn’t. While Argentina celebrated an impressive recovery, Egypt felt that several controversial refereeing decisions had influenced the outcome.
Egypt believed they had scored a legitimate goal that would have strengthened their position. After a VAR review, however, the referee ruled it out for an infringement in the build-up. Egyptian players argued that the decision was harsh and changed the momentum of the game. Later in the match, Egyptian players appealed for a penalty after claiming one of their attackers had been fouled inside the penalty area. The referee allowed play to continue, and VAR did not recommend an on-field review. Egypt believed this was another major error.
Hassan argued that similar challenges were judged differently depending on which team was involved. He claimed that important decisions repeatedly went in Argentina's favor.
After the final whistle, Hassan gave an emotional press conference. He stated that:
“I will say what’s on my mind regardless of the consequence, this was clearly a rigged match and the whole world saw it. And I want to say one more thing, if they want Argentina to win so bad, why call everyone to come and participate?”
The Egyptian Football Association supported many of Hassan's concerns. Officials questioned the referee's decisions and reportedly sought clarification regarding the VAR reviews used during the match.
While from Argentina's point of view, the victory was celebrated as one of determination and resilience. The team overcame a two-goal deficit through disciplined attacking play and maintained enough composure to score the decisive goal. Argentine players and coaching staff focused on their comeback rather than the controversy, emphasizing that VAR is part of modern football and that referees must make difficult decisions under pressure. Hassan even escalated his rage upon Scaloni, the head coach of Argentina showed composure as he ignored Hassan and crossed past him barely reacting. Egyptian staff went so furious that they even ended up receiving a red card.
The match sparked widespread debate among football fans and media. Some supporters agreed that Egypt had been unlucky and that certain decisions deserved closer examination. Others argued that VAR applied the Laws of the Game correctly and that controversial decisions are common in football. Many commentators stressed that while refereeing mistakes can occur, accusing officials of intentionally favoring one team requires convincing evidence, which has not been presented.
The Egypt–Argentina match became memorable not only because of Argentina's dramatic comeback but also because of the controversy that followed. Hossam Hassan's accusations that the game was influenced in favor of Lionel Messi generated intense discussion across the football world. However, despite the coach's strong criticism and the Egyptian Football Association's complaints, there is currently no verified evidence that the match was rigged or that FIFA instructed officials to favor Argentina. The incident remains a dispute over controversial refereeing decisions rather than proof of match manipulation.