Key facts
- Egypt's coach Hossam Hassan appealed for Palestinian support at a FIFA press conference.
- Egypt lost to Argentina 3-2 in the World Cup round of 16 after leading by two goals.
- Hossam Hassan criticized the officiating, suggesting bias towards Argentina.
- Several figures, including Garry Kasparov and Mohamed ElBaradei, criticized FIFA's officiating and credibility.
- Allegations of US President Donald Trump influencing FIFA regarding a player's ban have been noted.
Egypt's World Cup coach Hossam Hassan has garnered significant praise for an emotional speech delivered at a FIFA press conference, where he called for support for Palestinians and linked their cause to human rights. This occurred amidst controversy following Egypt's 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup round of 16, a match where Egypt had initially led 2-0.
Following the match, Hassan and his players expressed strong dissatisfaction with the officiating, with Hassan stating that Egypt was the better side and the outcome was unfair. He questioned the disallowing of an Egyptian goal and suggested that "marketing" influenced the tournament to favor previous champions. Egypt player Mustafa Ziko was visibly upset, accusing the referee of bias and stating the tournament was "biased."
Several prominent figures have echoed these sentiments. Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov criticized officiating inconsistencies, questioning the lack of VAR intervention and calling FIFA a "corrupt joke." Football analyst Geronimo Morgans pointed out perceived one-sided treatment in VAR reviews, while Egyptian Nobel Laureate Mohamed ElBaradei suggested FIFA had "lost a lot of credibility." Former British ambassador Craig Murray bluntly stated, "FIFA = Fixing It For Argentina has been blatant."
Separately, allegations have surfaced regarding US President Donald Trump's alleged interference in the World Cup by asking FIFA to review a player's ban. Meanwhile, fans in Seattle reportedly united to support the US team despite political differences, even in relation to Trump's alleged involvement in a player's controversy.