VAR call, Argentina win raise questions of legitimacy at World Cup

Questions surrounding the legitimacy of VAR calls and FIFA's influence have intensified following Argentina's contentious 3-2 victory over Egypt in the World Cup round of 16. The controversy erupted after a late VAR decision overturned Egypt's second goal, paving the way for Argentina's comeback win.

Egypt's head coach, Hossam Hassan, directly accused FIFA of external pressure, suggesting the organization wanted to keep the defending champions, led by Lionel Messi, in the tournament. "Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running," Hassan stated after the match. "In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champions received support at every level."

“

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

This incident follows a separate controversy involving U.S. President Donald Trump, who had asked FIFA to review and overturn a suspension for American player Folarin Balogun. FIFA controversially complied, allowing Balogun to play in a match he was initially banned from, though it ultimately did not help the U.S. team advance.

Experts note that the lines between politics and sport have become increasingly blurred during the tournament. Simon Chadwick, a professor of sport at Emlyon Business School, questioned the integrity of decisions following the Balogun affair. He also pointed out the political alignment between Trump and Argentina's president, Javier Milei, suggesting a potential for bias. Chadwick further speculated that Hassan's vocal support for Palestine might have influenced officials' decisions.

“

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