Egypt Star Ziko Slams FIFA After Argentina's Comeback Win

Egyptian forward Mostafa Ziko lashed out at match officials after Argentina clinched a thrilling 3-2 comeback win over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, with Ziko accusing the tournament of being rigged in Argentina's favour.

The knockout fixture saw Argentina claw back from a two-goal deficit to secure victory in the dying moments. The high-drama contest featured Lionel Messi missing a first-half penalty, an Egyptian goal overturned by VAR, and a denied penalty appeal for Egypt that sparked outrage on social media.

The Disallowed Goal That Changed the Game

Around the 60th minute, Ziko had put Egypt ahead by two goals, but the strike was ruled out after VAR review determined that Haissem Hassan had fouled Argentine defender Lisandro Martínez in the buildup.

Following the heartbreaking loss, Ziko directed sharp criticism at referee François Letexier, with comments reported by journalist Fabrizio Romano. Ziko said the officiating was unjust and accused the tournament of favouring Argentina throughout the match, going as far as to claim "the tournament is fixed." He argued Egypt should have been allowed to hold onto their early lead and described the outcome as a clear injustice against his team.

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A Historic Late Rally for Argentina

For much of Tuesday's match, it appeared 39-year-old Messi was heading toward a heartbreaking exit in what could be his final World Cup appearance. Egypt had taken control early with goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko in each half, and could have extended their lead to 3-0 had a video review not disallowed a subsequent goal.

With Argentina's hopes of becoming the first team since Brazil's back-to-back titles in 1958 and 1962 to retain the World Cup seemingly slipping away, the comeback began with a header from Cristian Romero in the 79th minute. An emotional Messi then struck his eighth goal of the tournament - and his 21st career World Cup goal - in the 83rd minute to level the score at 2-2. The stunning turnaround was completed in stoppage time when Enzo Fernández scored the winner, sending Argentina through to the quarterfinals.