Egyptian Press Accuses Referees of Robbing Match Against Argentina

Egypt’s Pharaohs were eliminated by Argentina, but it is the refereeing that has dominated debate in Egypt following the defeat. Cairo’s press, from state-owned newspapers to independent titles, unanimously identifies the refereeing as the primary reason for the match’s outcome.

The major state newspaper Al-Ahram acknowledges the bravery of Egyptian players while condemning what it describes as “flagrant bias.” According to the newspaper, the turning point of the match lay in a penalty not called in the second half and what it deemed “selective” use of VAR. “Our national team did not only face Argentine genius, it had to contend with a biased whistle that refused to see the obvious,” it writes. “How could VAR ignore this blatant foul in the box in the 72nd minute? Egypt won the world’s respect, but lost a match that was stolen from it by incomprehensible decisions.”

The newspaper also relayed comments from the national coach at his press conference: “We are not asking for favors, we are simply asking for justice. Today, football was cruel, not because of the ball, but because of those who must enforce its rules.”

The tone escalates in the columns of independent newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm, which gives the controversy an almost political dimension. For this newspaper, the match illustrates a systemic trend: international bodies would protect, consciously or not, football’s major nations at the expense of African selections. The editorialist notes that every disputed contact was called in favor of the South Americans, while repeated fouls on Egyptian attackers went unpunished. “It is always the same story,” he laments. “Whenever an Arab or African nation challenges the world hierarchy, the whistle becomes shaky. Argentina did not need the referee’s help to shine, but it benefited from it at every moment of tension. It is a disgrace to elite sport.”

While the grievances expressed partly stem from post-match frustration, the convergence of voices — state and independent press alike — testifies to a profound sense of injustice widely shared within Egyptian public opinion.