Egypt national team head coach Hossam Hassan made explosive live remarks to television channels following his side's round-of-16 defeat to Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, accusing the organisers of wanting Argentina and Messi to continue in the tournament for marketing purposes.
Speaking in a state of intense anger over the manner of his team's defeat, Hossam Hassan said: "The defeat was orchestrated. They want Argentina and Messi to continue in the World Cup for marketing. If they want Argentina to win, why do they invite other national teams to participate in the tournament?"
He continued sharply: "The match was clearly arranged, and the entire world witnessed it. We were better than Argentina. Football is unfair. We had a clear penalty that the referee did not award, and the goal scored by Zico at the start of the second half was legitimate but was disallowed."
He pressed on with his forceful remarks, saying: "I will boycott watching the remaining matches of the tournament as a form of protest. I told the players that I thank them and that they are capable of taking on the biggest national teams in the world, provided that fairness is guaranteed. FIFA raises the banner of fair play, yet we do not see that on the pitch."