Egypt were 12 minutes away from their first ever World Cup quarter-final, leading the reigning champions Argentina 2-0 in Atlanta. Then Lionel Messi turned the game on its head, scoring one and setting up two in a stunning 14-minute spell that ended with Argentina winning 3-2. But the result was overshadowed by furious complaints from Egypt over two key VAR decisions — a disallowed goal and a penalty not given — that their manager said showed the system was biased in favour of the Argentine superstar.
The match was the last-16 tie of the 2026 World Cup, held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Argentina, the reigning world champions, had Lionel Messi in attack. Egypt, making their fourth World Cup appearance, had never won a tournament match before this year — they beat New Zealand in the group stage — and were hunting their first quarter-final spot. Egypt took the lead through Yasser Ibrahim’s header, and Messi missed a penalty that would have levelled the score. In the second half, Egypt thought they had doubled their lead when Zico scored, but the goal was ruled out by VAR because midfielder Marwan Attia was penalised for a slight foul on Lisandro Martinez at the start of the move. Then Zico did score a legitimate second goal, making it 2-0. But Argentina pulled one back through Cristian Romero, Messi equalised, and Enzo Fernandez headed the winner in stoppage time. Egypt also claimed a penalty when Mohamed Salah was fouled in the box moments before Argentina’s winning break. Referee François Letexier ignored the appeals, and VAR did not intervene.
“Argentina's dramatic 3-2 win over Egypt sparks VAR controversy, with Egypt claiming bias towards Messi.”
Egypt’s fury stems from a long history of controversy surrounding VAR, a system introduced in 2018 to review clear and obvious errors. Critics say it is applied inconsistently, especially in high-profile matches involving big teams and stars like Messi. Egypt manager Hossam Hassan said his side “suffered injustice” and questioned whether Fifa wanted Argentina and Messi to stay in the tournament. “Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition,” he said. Fifa has been approached for comment but has not yet responded.
For UK readers, this match highlights the ongoing debate over VAR in football. The Premier League uses VAR, and similar controversies occur in domestic and European competitions. The idea that referees might favour star players or big nations — even subconsciously — strikes at the heart of the sport’s fairness. Whether or not you believe Egypt were cheated, the incident will fuel calls for more transparent VAR processes, such as releasing referee audio or limiting VAR’s scope to only the most obvious errors.
Q: Did Egypt have a legitimate goal ruled out? The disallowed goal was ruled out because a foul was called on Marwan Attia for stepping on Lisandro Martinez at the start of the move. Replays showed minimal contact, leading Egypt to claim it was a harsh decision. Under VAR protocol, the referee can overturn a goal if there is a clear error in the build-up.
Q: Why did Egypt complain of favouritism towards Messi? Egypt coach Hossam Hassan pointed to the penalty not given when Salah was fouled, and the disallowed goal, as evidence that decisions went Argentina’s way. He suggested Fifa wanted to keep Messi, one of football’s biggest stars, in the tournament. No evidence supports this, but similar accusations have been made in other sports when superstar players seem to get favourable calls.
Q: What is VAR and why is it controversial? VAR (Video Assistant Referee) allows officials to review decisions using video replays. It was meant to reduce clear errors, but has been criticised for slowing the game down and for inconsistent application. Some argue it undermines the referee’s authority, while others say it doesn’t go far enough in correcting mistakes.
What happens next: Argentina will face either Colombia or Switzerland in the quarter-finals. Egypt go home, but their performance — and their anger — will be remembered as one of the tournament’s biggest talking points. The controversy may prompt Fifa to review VAR procedures before the next round of matches.