Argentina produced a remarkable World Cup comeback against Egypt, winning 3-2 in the round of 16, but the match was overshadowed by controversy after VAR intervened to disallow a goal by Egypt's Mostka Ziko for a soft foul in the build-up. Fans and journalists alike questioned the decision, with some alleging the tournament was rigged to favour Lionel Messi and the defending champions.
VAR Disallows Egypt's Goal After Lengthy Review
With Argentina trailing 1-0 after Messi missed an early penalty, Mohamed Salah set up Ziko to give Egypt a stunning 2-0 lead in the second half. However, referee Francois Letexier was summoned by VAR to review a possible foul by Lisandro Martinez over 20 seconds before the goal. After a lengthy delay, the goal was disallowed, sparking outrage among Egyptian fans and neutrals.
"This tournament is rigged. Corruption at display, robbing Egypt of the goal," one fan posted on X. "Rigged like always," another wrote. "The World Cup is rigged for Messi," a third tweeted.
Argentina's Dramatic Comeback
Egypt eventually scored a legitimate second goal six minutes later, but Argentina responded with a stunning fightback. Messi scored a brilliant volley to level the score at 2-2, and Enzo Fernandez headed home in stoppage time to seal a 3-2 victory. The win was one of the most extraordinary comebacks in World Cup history.
"Had Ziko's opening goal stood, Egypt would have stayed ahead," noted sports journalist Jeremy Goldstein. "Instead, Argentina's star power prevailed."
Journalists Question VAR Decision
Experienced journalists challenged the use of VAR in disallowing Ziko's strike. Sky Sports reporter Rob Harris posted: "Egypt disallowed goal: It's allowed under VAR rules, but tech in football was never meant for that - to wind back the play so long to review a softer tackle at the other end of the pitch."
BBC reporter Dale Johnson wrote: "Egypt's disallowed goal was completely against how this tournament has been refereed. You can't have a light touch where you don't give fouls for minimal contact and then rule out a goal through VAR for a very minimal hold of the shirt."
Reporter Henry Winter joked: "If VAR had gone any further back in that Egyptian move Tutankhamun would be involved. How far do you go back? Probably right decision but what a pity, what a goal that would have been."
VAR Controversy at 2026 World Cup
VAR has dominated conversation at the 2026 World Cup. Earlier, US forward Folarin Balogun was contentiously shown a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina after a fairly innocuous collision. That ban was eventually suspended and downgraded to a fine.
The controversy in the Argentina-Egypt match has fueled accusations of bias towards big-name players and teams. One fan summed up the sentiment: "The World Cup is rigged for Messi."
