FIFA wanted Lionel Messi to stay in World Cup: Egypt coach fuels controversy after loss vs Argentina

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan accused FIFA of wanting Lionel Messi and Argentina to remain in the World Cup after his side’s dramatic 3-2 defeat in the Round of 16 on Tuesday, claiming the defending champions “received support at every level” during their remarkable comeback.

Egypt looked set to produce one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history after opening a 2-0 lead and remaining in control until the closing stages. But Argentina produced a stunning comeback, with Cristian Romero, Messi and Enzo Fernandez scoring three goals in 13 minutes to seal a 3-2 victory and book a place in the quarter-finals.

The collapse left the Egyptian camp furious, with Hassan insisting his side had outplayed the world champions and claiming the outcome was influenced by factors beyond football.

“We looked better than the reigning champions, better in everything, but the result was influenced by internal factors on the pitch and external factors off it,” Hassan told reporters after the match.

“Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running. In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champion received support at every level.”

VAR DECISIONS SPARK EGYPT ANGER

Egypt’s frustration centered on a series of contentious moments, with the biggest flashpoint coming in the 59th minute when Mostafa Ziko had a goal ruled out by VAR, a decision Hassan believes changed the course of the match.

The visitors were also incensed by the absence of a penalty after Mohamed Salah appeared to be fouled inside the box. They further argued that Alexis Mac Allister committed a foul in the build-up to Enzo Fernandez’s stoppage-time winner, with no VAR intervention.

“There seem to be pressures from the Argentina side on this outcome. We were objecting to the selection of the referee because of the French situation [Argentina beat France in the 2022 World Cup final], but everybody has to suffer at some point, and we suffered,” Hassan said.

“We have not seen respect or fair play. A penalty was ruled out, it was not even checked by the VAR, and our second goal was, remarkably, for whatever reason, disallowed. We have all seen the shirt pulled back and not even a VAR check.”

“Life is unfair, normal life is unfair, so why is there no fairness in sports?”

“I want to put it in beautiful words and say hard luck, but we have been treated unfairly, and it has been an injustice.”

‘I’LL NEVER WATCH THE WORLD CUP AGAIN’

Hassan later doubled down on his criticism in an interview with beIN Sports, revealing what he told the referee after the final whistle and saying the events had left him disillusioned with the tournament.

“I told the referee that what was happening wasn’t fair. It’s an undeserved victory for Argentina,” Hassan said.

“Once I’m back in my country and at home, I’ll never watch the World Cup again, because there’s no justice in this competition.”

The Egyptian coach had already been booked during the match after making FIFA’s anti-racism gesture while protesting a refereeing decision, reflecting the growing frustration on the touchline as Argentina mounted their comeback.

Hassan’s comments are expected to come under scrutiny from FIFA, with the governing body likely to review his post-match remarks. The allegations have already sparked widespread debate, and disciplinary action against the Egypt coach cannot be ruled out.

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