Argentina and Egypt played out one of the most intense games of this FIFA World Cup in the Round of 16, where the Lionel Messi-led side pulled off a breathtaking comeback to secure a 3-2 victory. While fans witnessed a stunning turnaround in the dying minutes, off-pitch controversy took centre stage after La Albiceleste booked their place in the quarter-finals. The Egyptian camp raised questions over the refereeing, claiming their opponents were favoured in some situations.
Things turned heated as players and members of the Egyptian coaching unit were shown cards even after the final whistle. Tempers flared after Argentina scored back-to-back goals late in the second half to equalise. Enzo Fernandez finally struck the winner in stoppage time to wrap up the game in 90 minutes.
Did Lionel Messi Confront Egypt Coaching Staff?
The Egyptian bench was furious after losing a two-goal lead. Head coach Hossam Hassan and some of his assistants expressed their discontent, shouting at the sidelines to complain about the referee. As the game was disrupted, Messi walked towards the opposition dugout and tried to pacify the situation.
The Egyptians refused to calm down, and even one of the field assistants was seen approaching the Argentina captain while hurling insults. In response, he was shown a straight red. Messi, visibly irked by his gesture, returned to the pitch. Argentine manager Lionel Scaloni was also involved and exchanged some words with his Egyptian counterpart.
The Egyptian coach won clown of the match. pic.twitter.com/y9t74FO4Di
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) July 8, 2026
Egypt Coach Hassan Receives Yellow After Making Anti-Racism Gesture
Amid all the chaos, Hassan made an anti-racism gesture by crossing his arms, trying to catch the referee’s attention. However, his appeal was apparently ignored by the officials. In the end, Hassan was given a yellow card for his behavior. After the knockout match, several Egyptian players also voiced their discontent over the match referee.
Shaking off the bitter memory, the Messi-led Argentina will now look forward to their quarter-final clash against Switzerland, scheduled for July 11.
