Egypt exited the World Cup after a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the round of 16, despite leading 2-0 until the 79th minute in Atlanta. Following the match, Egypt’s head coach Hossam Hassan strongly criticized the refereeing and questioned the fairness of the tournament. He expressed frustration over a disallowed goal by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and the referee’s failure to award a penalty for a foul on Mohamed Salah before Argentina’s winning goal.

Hassan alleged that commercial interests influenced the competition, claiming that organizers wanted Lionel Messi to remain in the tournament as long as possible. Despite his anger over officiating, the coach praised his players for their performance, saying Egypt had built a foundation for future success and upheld the pride of African and Arab football.

He concluded by apologizing to Egyptian fans, stating that the team had aimed to bring joy to the nation but some factors were beyond their control.