Messi-VAR: a lethal cocktail
Argentina’s world title defense remains alive, after a win that saw Lionel Messi star once more - and witnessed refereeing calls that angered Egypt.
Argentina is through to the quarterfinals after a match against Egypt that ultimately became another Lionel Messi epic - of course - and a global refereeing controversy, with a VAR-disallowed goal and an Egyptian penalty appeal in the build-up to Enzo Fernández’s decisive strike. It was a fitting snapshot of what La Albiceleste has become in recent years: a team powered by the most influential player of the modern World Cup era, and a national side that continues to attract suspicion over perceived officiating favoritism.
Messi, for his part, inspires awe wherever he goes. He now has eight goals in this World Cup and 21 overall in the tournament’s history, having surpassed Miroslav Klose’s record tally earlier this summer. Against Egypt, he once again carried the team when it mattered most, with Argentina trailing 2-0 and seemingly headed for an early exit. His response and sheer quality rescued the reigning champions.
At the same time, Argentina once again found itself on the favorable end of refereeing and VAR decisions that could easily have gone either way, given how finely balanced they were. So far in this tournament, the three occasions VAR has intervened in Argentina’s matches - against Austria, Jordan and now Egypt - have ended up benefiting La Albiceleste.
Much as occurred in Qatar, referee François Letexier appeared lenient on incidents that went against Argentina and uncompromising on those that worked in its favor. As a result, Egypt’s players, coaching staff and federation voiced their strongest condemnation of the officiating, going as far as submitting a formal complaint to FIFA.
Egypt boss’s eye-catching gesture
One of the most striking images of that frustration came in the closing moments of the match. Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan was shown a yellow card for dissent and, in a moment of anger, raised his arms and crossed his wrists above his head. His assistants immediately attempted to shield him from view, while Hassan, still furious, tried to repeat the gesture.
There are several interpretations of what the gesture meant. One is that he was criticizing the officiating, symbolically portraying himself as handcuffed and the victim of a robbery. The other relates to FIFA’s official protocol, in which crossed arms forming an “X” are used to report an alleged act of racism or discrimination.
The measure was unanimously approved during the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok in 2024, with the goal of creating a universal signal that can be easily recognized on the field. However, there has been no indication that Hassan was responding to any incident involving discriminatory behavior from the stands or from any Argentine player.
Both Hassan and goalscorer Mostafa Ziko delivered scathing criticism during the postgame press conference and also directed their frustration at FIFA officials present at the stadium. It was the conclusion of a match destined to be remembered for keeping Messi’s World Cup dream alive at age 39, but also for once again reigniting debate over the officiating decisions that appeared to favor the defending champions.
Related stories
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.
Complete your personal details to comment