Thousands of supporters gathered at Cairo’s Al‑Alamein airport on Tuesday evening, waving flags and chanting as the national squad stepped off the plane after a 3‑2 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup’s round of 16.
President Abdel‑Fattah el‑Sisi greeted the players on the tarmac, calling their performance “honorable” and emphasizing that reaching the last 16 marked a milestone for Egyptian football.
The Egyptian Football Association issued a statement condemning the refereeing standards and the use of VAR, saying the decisions had unfairly influenced the outcome against Argentina.
Officiating Under Fire
FIFA responded by defending the integrity of its match officials, asserting that the VAR system had functioned according to protocol and that accusations of bias were unfounded.
The match itself featured a dramatic turn when Argentina scored three unanswered goals within 13 minutes, overturning Egypt’s early lead and sealing a historic comeback.