Ex-Egypt player: 'We played against Messi, Argentina, the referee, and FIFA'

Former Egyptian national team player Mohamed Aboutrika leveled strong accusations following Egypt's dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the 2026 World Cup round of 16. Aboutrika alleged that the referee was unfair and that Egypt was disadvantaged at crucial moments.

According to reports, Aboutrika stated that the referee's decisions were influenced by the pressure of playing against Argentina. He specifically pointed to the third goal scored by Argentina, which he believes should have been disallowed due to a penalty not called on Mohamed Salah. Conversely, he argued that Egypt's disallowed goal should have been allowed, citing a foul against Lisandro Martínez.

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The referee of the match was not fair to us and we were harmed. Argentina's third goal should have been disallowed for a penalty against Mohamed Salah, just as our goal was disallowed after a foul against Lisandro Martínez.

Aboutrika's comments suggest a feeling of playing against more than just the opposing team. "We played against Messi, Argentina, the referee, and FIFA," he reportedly said, indicating a perception of systemic bias affecting the match outcome.

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The referee was influenced by the pressure of Argentina and that feeling was noticeable among the players. Thus, we played against Messi, Argentina, the referee, and FIFA.