Argentina defends 2026 World Cup refereeing after dramatic Egypt comeback

Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni and defender Lisandro Martínez have rejected accusations that referees favored the defending World Cup champions during their 3–2 comeback victory over Egypt in the Round of 16 on July 11, 2026.

The match sparked controversy after Egypt went ahead 2–0 with only 11 minutes remaining before Argentina scored three unanswered goals. Egypt's coaching staff disputed the decision to disallow a Mostafa Ziko goal via VAR review in the 62nd minute, and Egypt's federation filed formal complaints about the referee's handling of the match. Scaloni acknowledged the criticism but framed it as motivation, stating that Argentina has historically faced skepticism and that many people oppose the team's success. "With VAR, it's difficult to get help; there's no room for misinterpretation," he said, defending the disallowed Ziko goal by noting that Lisandro Martínez was fouled in the buildup.

Martínez told Spanish newspaper AS that referees performed well and that media commentary created unnecessary controversy. "You are the ones creating these debates," he said. "We focus on giving 100 percent on the pitch." FIFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina, VAR official Jérôme Brisard, and independent observers including Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente and Switzerland's coach Murat Yakin all defended the officiating, stating that all key decisions were reviewed objectively and correctly applied. Brisard confirmed that Julián Álvarez cleanly won the ball from Mohamed Salah before Argentina's third goal, justifying its validity.

Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals to face Switzerland on July 12, 2026, in Kansas City. The Albiceleste maintained focus on their next opponent rather than engaging further with refereeing debates.