08/07/2026 21:36 - Deportes
On July 7, 2026, football fans witnessed a historic moment as the Argentina National Team made an epic comeback against Egypt, winning 3-2 in Atlanta during the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. For international readers unfamiliar with the context, Atlanta served as one of the key host cities in the United States for this expanded tournament. While Argentine fans celebrated wildly, the African squad was left in deep frustration and decided not to take the result quietly.
According to reports from international media, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) issued a strong statement on July 8, 2026, expressing their deep dissatisfaction with the officiating of French referee François Letexier and the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
EFA President Hany Abo Rida submitted an official complaint to football's highest governing body. In the protest, the Egyptian delegation not only demanded explanations for several controversial decisions but also requested the exclusion of the French refereeing team from the remainder of the tournament.
“The Egyptian Football Association cannot remain silent regarding the refereeing decisions witnessed during the match against Argentina,” the EFA stated on its social media, highlighting a “widespread frustration” over the failure to apply the highest standards of officiating.
Forward Mostafa Ziko, who had a goal disallowed due to a clear foul on Argentine defender Lisandro Martínez, was one of the most agitated players after the match. In an interview with the official broadcast, the player claimed: “It was a rigged match. We were winning 2-0 and he kept coming after us. Congratulations to Argentina on another World Cup, it seems.”
It is important to clarify that these statements reflect the Egyptian players' perception and there is no verifiable evidence to support an actual fixing of the match.
During the final minutes, cameras caught Egyptian head coach Hossam Hassan crossing his forearms to form an “X” while arguing with referee Letexier. This gesture quickly went viral, but what did it mean?
To provide some context for international audiences, the “X” is an official signal established by FIFA in 2024 (during the U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia) to alert match officials about a suspected incident of discrimination or racism. It appears Hassan believed such an episode occurred and activated the signal. However, the referee approached him and issued a yellow card, as no public evidence of the incident was presented.
Interestingly, François Letexier is the exact same referee who first applied this protocol in a highly exposed match. It happened in February 2026, during the Champions League group stage between Real Madrid and Benfica, when Brazilian star Vinícius Júnior reported that Argentine player Gianluca Prestianni called him a 'monkey'. Following the activation of the protocol, Prestianni was fined and suspended for 6 matches.
Despite the controversy, Argentina advances with high morale and prepares for the quarter-finals with all the passion and talent of their people!
Alfredo S. Quiroga
