‘They want Messi to stay in the tournament’: Egypt’s disallowed goal against Argentina leads to claims of injustice

The decision to disallow Egypt's goal against Argentina in the World Cup has ignited claims of injustice, with Egypt's coach accusing officials of favoring Lionel Messi and prioritizing financial interests. Mostafa Zico's goal was controversially ruled out following a VAR review for a foul in the build-up, while a potential infringement before an Argentine goal went unreviewed. This perceived inconsistency has left Egyptians fuming.

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It’s all about money. They want [Lionel] Messi to stay in the tournament.

"It's all about money. They want [Lionel] Messi to stay in the tournament," said Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan in a post-match interview. He asserted that "in football, many things happen off the pitch because of interests" and declared the outcome unfair, stating Egypt was the better team and deserved to qualify. Hassan vowed to boycott the remainder of the World Cup due to the perceived "injustice."

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In football, many things happen off the pitch because of interests. What happened was unfair. Egypt deserved to qualify, we were the better team.

Argentina went on to score three goals in the final 15 minutes to win 3-2 and advance. The controversy follows a separate incident where US President Donald Trump intervened to overturn a suspension for US striker Folarin Balogun. Although FIFA maintained the decision was independent, these events have deepened suspicions about interference in the sport, prompting UEFA to warn about the "integrity of the game."

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After the Balogun affair, who knows which decisions are legitimate and can be trusted, and which can’t?

"After the Balogun affair, who knows which decisions are legitimate and can be trusted, and which can't?" asked Simon Chadwick, professor of Afro-Eurasian sport at Emlyon Business School. The Egyptian Football Association has formally complained to FIFA, seeking a review of the refereeing. An online poll by BBC News indicated that 73% of respondents believed Egypt was "robbed."

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The bigger teams do seem to get the benefit of these decisions.