Egyptian player claims 2026 World Cup results were predetermined

A major controversy has erupted in the football world: Egypt national team striker Mostafa Zico has openly claimed that the results of the 2026 World Cup were predetermined in favor of Lionel Messi and Argentina. This statement followed Egypt's dramatic defeat to the reigning world champions in the Round of 16. This is reported by Goal.com reports .

During the match, the Egyptian national team was very close to pulling off a major upset. With 11 minutes left in the game, the "Pharaohs" were leading 2-0. Goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico had brought the Africans to the brink of the quarterfinals. In the first half, Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir even managed to save a penalty taken by Lionel Messi.

Refereeing controversy and suspicious goals

However, the situation changed drastically in the final minutes of the match. Cristian Romero narrowed the deficit, and in the 83rd minute, Lionel Messi restored parity. In stoppage time, Enzo Fernandez scored the winner. In that specific play, Egyptian players claimed a foul by Alexis Mac Allister on Mohamed Salah and demanded a VAR review, but referee Francois Letexier ignored the appeal.

In an interview after the match, Mostafa Zico did not hide his anger at the officiating. According to Goal.com, the striker cast doubt on the integrity of the tournament. "The referee was completely unfair. The injustice was obvious. We did a great job at the start of the game, but a 2-0 lead over Argentina was not enough for victory. It is clear that the results of this tournament were predetermined," Zico emphasized.

Coach's reaction and the Messi factor

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan echoed his player's sentiments, though he was slightly more cautious in his statement. According to the BBC, the coach noted that factors on and off the pitch influenced the result.

"We played better than the reigning champions in every aspect. Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition and wanted Messi to continue his run. I wanted to explain this with polite words, but the fact is that we were treated unfairly," said Hossam Hassan at the post-match press conference.

This incident has sparked global debate. While many experts praised Egypt's performance and determination, they argue that the experience of giants like Argentina in navigating difficult situations played a decisive role. Nevertheless, Zico's accusations could serve as a serious warning for FIFA and the refereeing committee.