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Egypt coach Hossam Hassan slams VAR after loss — AI-generated representative image of an Egypt coach disputing a VAR decision with officials after a match.

Editorial Team

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan criticised VAR decisions and match officiating after his side lost 3-2 to Argentina in a World Cup match in which Argentina came back from a two-goal deficit to reach the quarter-finals.

Hassan’s post-match remarks have intensified debate over refereeing standards and VAR decision-making in high-stakes games, as he questioned key calls he said went against Egypt at pivotal moments. Related coverage: Egypt coach Hassan praised as fixtures loom for Pharaohs.

Key developments

Argentina defeated Egypt 3-2 after trailing by two goals, sealing a place in the quarter-finals.
Hassan said Egypt was denied a second goal at 1-0 after a VAR check disallowed it.
He also said Egypt should have been awarded a penalty in stoppage time before Argentina scored its third goal, the winner, through Enzo Fernandez.
Hassan blamed referee Francois Letexier, saying Egypt did not receive “respect or fair play” and alleging one incident that he believed warranted a penalty “was not even checked by the VAR.”
He further alleged there “seems to have been pressure on the Argentinian side on the referee” that affected the outcome.

Context and background

In his post-match remarks, Hassan framed his criticism as part of a broader concern about fairness in football, saying he was “not convinced by this outcome and by the way things unfolded in this match.”

The source material also references wider controversy involving FIFA president Gianno Infantino, saying he faced criticism after reversing a red card against American striker Folarin Balogun following a call from US President Donald Trump. Separately, scrutiny of the tournament has extended beyond officiating; see: FIFA World Cup carbon emissions face growing scrutiny.

Details and evidence

“We haven’t seen respect or fair play. A penalty was ruled out and a second (incident) that should have been checked for a penalty for us was not even checked by the VAR. A second goal was remarkably, for whatever reason, disallowed.”

“There seems to have been pressure on the Argentinian side on the referee that has brought about this outcome.”

“Life is unfair. The world is unfair. OK, but why isn’t there any fairness in sports? I’m not convinced by this outcome and by the way things unfolded in this match.”

The source material does not include a response from FIFA, the match officials, or Argentina to Hassan’s allegations.

Current status and next steps

Argentina has advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals following the 3-2 win, while Egypt has been eliminated from this stage of the competition based on the information provided.

No official review, disciplinary process, or statement from FIFA or match officials is cited in the source material regarding the disputed incidents, and it is unclear from the provided information whether Egypt has filed a formal complaint.

The source material also notes Belgium’s reaction in a separate context, stating Belgium mocked the US and FIFA after beating the United States 4-1 and then saying, “now reverse this.”