Egypt national team manager Hossam Hassan has launched a scathing attack on FIFA and French referee François Letexier following the Pharaohs’ round of 16 elimination at the hands of Argentina in the 2026 World Cup.
Letexier sparked massive controversy during the match after disallowing a goal by Egypt’s Mostafa Ziko for a foul on Lisandro Martínez. Conversely, the referee failed to rule out Argentina’s late match-winner for a remarkably similar infraction.
Hossam Hassan Accuses FIFA of Favoring Lionel Messi
Furious with the officiating, Hossam Hassan stated in his post-match press conference: “It is all about marketing. They want the World Cup champions and Lionel Messi to stay in the tournament.”
He added, “We wanted to win and bring joy to the Egyptian fans who supported us from the very beginning, but there are other things happening outside of football.”
He continued his blunt assessment: “There is support for Argentina from all sides, whether through refereeing or marketing; everyone is backing them.”
Egypt Coach Demands Fair Play from FIFA
Hassan concluded by calling out the governing body: “FIFA must apply its own slogans of respect and fairness. We were denied a clear penalty against Belgium, and today the referee treated us unfairly against Argentina.”
