Pierluigi Collina Defends Referee Decisions in Argentina’s Comeback Win Over Egypt, Affirms Independence from FIFA President

The Round of 16 encounter between Argentina and Egypt proved to be one of the tournament’s most gripping matches, with Argentina rallying from a 2-0 deficit to secure a 3-2 victory. However, Egypt raised concerns regarding referee François Letexier, prompting a defense from Pierluigi Collina on the official Inside FIFA website, where he emphasized referees’ operational independence from Gianni Infantino.

Collina stated: “A foul is a foul, regardless of its apparent obviousness. If the referee overlooks an incident on the field, the VAR is empowered to intervene. There is no defined limit on distance from the goalnor the elapsed time between an incident and subsequent play.”

This clarification addressed the disallowed goal awarded to Mostafa Zico after VAR prompted Letexier to review a play where Lisandro Martínez was stepped on by Marwan Attia near Egypt’s corner flag.

Collina on the Final Goal

Following the disallowed goal, Zico scored again minutes later via a swift counterattack, putting Egypt 2-0 ahead. Argentina’s comeback was sparked by a Cristian Romero header and an equalizer from Lionel Messi.

Martínez was fouled on the other end of the field (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The decisive goal also faced scrutiny from Egypt, as Mohamed Salah remained within the penalty area during Julián Álvarez’s challenge in the build-up to Enzo Fernández’s winning strike.

Collina clarified: “Stepping on an opponent’s foot constitutes a foul, whereas a defender who plays the ball first and engages in standard contact does not. The referee and VAR deemed it non-incorrect contact.”

Addressing claims of Infantino’s influence, Collina responded: “No authority can assert control over FIFA’s refereeing decisions, not even the FIFA president. He has consistently demonstrated trust in our complete independence. Referees, like players and coaches, commit to honest decisions and strive for excellence.”

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