Lionel Messi confronted Egypt coach Hossam Hassan after Argentina’s comeback win, with Hassan making FIFA’s anti-racism “X” signal. A staff member saw red as ugly scenes erupted.
Lionel Messi was involved in a heated touchline confrontation with Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan after Argentina’s dramatic 3-2 Round of 16 victory, with a member of the Egyptian coaching staff shown a red card.
The flashpoint occurred moments after the final whistle. Videos show Messi walking toward Hassan before the pair exchanged words near the touchline. The exact contents of the conversation remain unknown. However, Hassan immediately responded by crossing his arms in an “X” shape — FIFA’s official anti-racism signal introduced in 2024 to report alleged abuse.
The sequence quickly went viral on social media and overshadowed Argentina’s remarkable comeback from 2-0 down.
The confrontation escalated as several Egyptian coaching staff members rushed toward the scene. One visibly lost his temper and charged aggressively toward Messi. Argentina players surrounded their captain while match officials, security personnel, and other Egyptian staff intervened. The furious staff member was shown a red card and escorted away.
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Egypt’s Frustration Boils Over After Controversial Calls
No audio from the exchange has been released. Neither FIFA nor the Egyptian Football Association has clarified whether Hassan’s gesture was directed specifically at Messi, Argentina’s bench, the match officials, or another incident. The ugly scenes reflected Egypt’s lingering frustration after surrendering a two-goal lead.
Egypt had appeared on course for a major upset after first-half and second-half strikes stunned the defending champions. Cristian Romero ignited Argentina’s comeback before Messi equalized in the 83rd minute. Enzo Fernandez then completed the turnaround with a stoppage-time winner.
Egypt’s anger had already been building after a crucial Mostafa Ziko goal was ruled out following a VAR review for a foul in the build-up. The African side also believed they should have been awarded a penalty for an alleged tug on Hamdy Fathy shortly before Argentina launched the attack that produced the decisive goal.
Speaking after the defeat, Hassan launched a scathing attack on the officiating.
“I’m not convinced with this outcome. I’m not convinced with the way things unfolded during this match,” he said. “We have been treated unfairly today. We have suffered injustice.”
The Egypt coach even suggested he would not watch another match at the tournament following his team’s elimination.
The incident has sparked fresh debate over FIFA’s anti-racism protocol. The “X” gesture was introduced as a way for players and officials to report discrimination without fear of repercussion. However, the lack of clarity surrounding Hassan’s signal has left many questions unanswered.
Match officials did not stop proceedings during the initial exchange between Messi and Hassan. The red card was only shown after the Egyptian staff member charged toward the Argentina captain.
Neither Argentina nor Messi have commented publicly on the confrontation. The focus has now shifted to whether FIFA will launch any investigation into the touchline chaos.
Egypt’s elimination marks the end of their tournament campaign. The African side exits despite pushing the defending champions to the brink.