ATLANTA, 08 July (H.S.):
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan launched a scathing attack on the refereeing and FIFA after his side's 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026, alleging that his team was treated unfairly and that the defending world champions benefited from biased decisions.
Speaking after the match, Hassan said, We played against one of the biggest teams in the world and were better than them in every department. But the referee came under one-sided pressure, and that ultimately affected the result.
He revealed that Egypt had objected to the appointment of French referee François Letexier even before the match. Following the defeat, Hassan claimed that his side was denied a clear penalty and that a second Egyptian goal was wrongly disallowed.
We deserved to win this match, but we did not get justice, Hassan said. There was neither fair play nor respect on the field. FIFA speaks about 'Fair Play', but we did not see any evidence of it during the game. Had the referee not made those mistakes, the outcome could have been different.
The Egypt coach also engaged in a heated exchange with the referee after the final whistle.
I told the referee that what happened was completely unfair, Hassan said. Perhaps there was something he wanted to hide. People who try to conceal things usually do not succeed. I will not watch another match in this tournament.
Hassan also criticised FIFA's scheduling of matches, questioning the decision to stage games at midday.
Scheduling a match at 12 noon does not reflect an understanding of football, he said. When are the players supposed to eat? The people who prepare such schedules do not understand the game.
Despite his frustration over the result, Hassan praised his players for their performance and resilience.
I told my players that I am proud of them, he said. This team will continue to improve and become even stronger. I am proud not only of my team but also of Arab football and African football as a whole.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
