Argentina staged a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the World Cup round of 16, but the match was overshadowed by a controversial VAR decision that disallowed an Egyptian goal, prompting furious fans to claim the game was 'rigged'.
VAR Decision Sparks Outrage
Egypt had taken a 2-0 lead after Mohamed Salah set up Mostka Ziko for a stunning goal. However, referee Francois Letexier was called to the monitor by VAR to review a potential foul in the build-up. More than 20 seconds before Ziko's strike, Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez was deemed to have been unfairly brought down. The decision disallowed the goal, sparking immediate backlash.
On social media, particularly X, fans expressed their anger. "This tournament is rigged. Corruption at display, robbing Egypt of the goal," one user posted. Another wrote: "Rigged like always." A third commented: "The World Cup is rigged for Messi." One viewer added: "This was the most rigged game I've ever seen in my life. It should have been 3-3 minimum." Another compared Messi to LeBron James: "Refs just hand him everything. Even though it’s clearly rigged nothing will happen."
Messi Leads Comeback
Despite the controversy, Egypt quickly restored their two-goal lead through Ziko again six minutes later. But Argentina fought back. Lionel Messi unleashed a stunning volley to make it 2-1, and shortly after, Enzo Fernandez headed home deep into injury time to complete a remarkable 3-2 victory. The comeback has been hailed as one of the most extraordinary in World Cup history.
Had Ziko's disallowed goal stood, Egypt would have held a 3-1 advantage, potentially changing the outcome. The decision has been widely criticized by football pundits. Sky Sports reporter Rob Harris said: "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 added: "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 Continues at World Cup
VAR has been a contentious topic at the 2026 World Cup. Earlier, US forward Folarin Balogun was controversially shown a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina after a minor collision, though his one-match suspension was later postponed and reduced to a fine. The Egypt-Argentina incident has reignited debates about the technology's role and consistency.
Argentina will now face the winner of Colombia vs Switzerland in the quarter-finals, while Egypt is eliminated in heartbreaking fashion. The match will be remembered not only for Messi's heroics but for the VAR call that many believe cost Egypt a historic upset.
