A direct appeal from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino would lack the impact of a call from the leader of the free world.
With little left for el‑Sisi to contribute, the Egyptian coach voiced his concerns after Tuesday’s defeat to Argentina in the Round of 16.
Hossam Hassan criticized the seemingly impartial world soccer governing body, implying that FIFA is intent on keeping Argentina — and its star, Lionel Messi — in the competition for as long as possible.
“We performed better than the defending champions in every aspect, yet the outcome was shaped by circumstances both on the field and beyond it,” Hassan said to reporters, via Mark Ogden of ESPN. “Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to remain in contention.”
In football, external influences can extend beyond tactical elements, and the world champion appears to have received assistance at every level.
Hassan noted that his side had protested the appointment of French referee François Letexier prior to the match. Following the loss, Egypt grew especially aggrieved that VAR overturned a first‑half goal that would have placed Egypt ahead 2‑0 — a goal they later redeemed — and that a potential foul on Argentina moments before the decisive extra‑time goal went unreviewed by VAR.
“We have observed a lack of respect and fair play,” Hassan remarked. “A penalty was disallowed without even being reviewed by VAR, and our second goal was inexplicably disallowed. While I could phrase it politely as ‘hard luck,’ the reality is an unfair treatment and a grave injustice.”
The match concluded with a dramatic sequence, as Argentina scored three goals after the 78th minute. Egypt, however, perceives the result very differently.
The Egyptian Football Association subsequently called for an investigation of the entire team of referees and video referees on grounds of “blatant errors and a refusal to review footage that appears to favor the Egyptian national team.” It also demanded the removal of the referee and his crew from the tournament after its inquiry, accusing them of “discriminating against the Egyptian national team.”
This is the second instance in as many matches where allegations of FIFA’s preferential treatment of Argentina have surfaced. Following Friday’s comeback victory over Cape Verde, Infantino admitted he “suffered” alongside Argentina before quickly adding, “but I’m neutral.”
Numerous descriptors have been applied to Infantino; recently, “neutral” no longer fits.
