Egypt coach Hossam Hassan sparked controversy during the Round of 16 clash against Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after he was seen making the 'No to Racism' sign following Argentina's third goal — a moment that caught widespread attention and raised questions about the message he intended to send.
The match ended with Argentina winning 3-2 after a dramatic comeback in the final minutes. Cameras captured the Egypt head coach gesturing with both hands toward the 'No to Racism' emblem as he protested events that followed Argentina's third goal.
Hossam Hassan resorted to the gesture in an attempt to invoke FIFA's anti-racism protocol, after he deemed that some Argentina players had directed offensive and unsportsmanlike remarks during their celebration of the third goal — prompting him to intervene and demand protection for his players under the applicable regulations.
The match referee did not respond to the Egypt coach's protests, declined to activate the anti-racism protocol, and refused to halt play to review the incident, before eventually brandishing a yellow card at Hossam Hassan for his persistent objections.
The incident came at the end of a dramatic match in which Egypt came close to reaching the quarter-finals, having taken a 2-0 lead through goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mustafa Zico, before Argentina overturned the result by scoring three consecutive goals to seal their place in the next round.