'World Cup is fixed': Egypt star Mostafa Ziko blasts FIFA after Argentina's dramatic comeback as viral video claims referee bias

Egypt forward Mostafa Ziko has launched a scathing attack on match officials following his side's heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, claiming the tournament is "fixed" after a controversial VAR decision and Argentina's stunning late comeback.

The emotional outburst came after Egypt squandered a 2-0 lead, with defending champions Argentina scoring three goals in the final 13 minutes to book their place in the quarter-finals. The match has since sparked heated debate online, with a four-minute compilation video alleging refereeing decisions favored Argentina going viral across social media. The authenticity of the claims in the viral clip has not been independently verified.

Egypt's dream start undone

Egypt made the perfect start when Yasser Ibrahim headed home from a Marwan Attia corner in the 15th minute.

Argentina had an immediate chance to equalize after Nicolas Tagliafico won a penalty, but goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir produced a brilliant save to deny Lionel Messi from the spot.

Shobeir continued his heroics throughout the first half, keeping out efforts from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez, while Messi also rattled the crossbar with a free-kick as Egypt entered halftime with a deserved 1-0 lead.

VAR controversy changes the game

Egypt thought they had doubled their advantage early in the second half when Ziko found the net, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR review, with officials adjudging a foul in the build-up.

Despite the setback, Egypt did extend their lead in the 67th minute when Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan combined to set up Ziko, who made no mistake in front of goal.



The disallowed effort, however, proved to be one of the turning points of the match.

Argentina's stunning comeback

Argentina finally found their breakthrough in the 79th minute as Cristian Romero headed in a Messi free-kick.

Just four minutes later, Messi brought the defending champions level with a powerful strike that bounced in off the underside of the crossbar after brushing goalkeeper Shobeir's gloves.

With extra time looming, Enzo Fernandez completed the remarkable turnaround in stoppage time, firing home from the edge of the area to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory.

'The tournament is fixed': Ziko fumes

Speaking after the match, an emotional Ziko accused the referee of denying Egypt a famous victory. "No fair, no fair, referee, no fair. Injustice, clear and obvious injustice. He is wasting the efforts of an entire country. From the start of the match, he was against us. It is not allowed for us to leave as 2-0 winners against Argentina. The tournament is fixed. God is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs," Ziko said.

The Egypt forward later apologized to supporters, insisting the players had done everything possible. "We wanted to make them happy today. We couldn't do that. But I swear it was out of our hands. It is in the referee's hands. The tournament is fixed, it is obvious anyway."

Ziko's allegations have not been supported by evidence, and FIFA has not issued any response to his remarks.

Viral video fuels online debate

Soon after the final whistle, a four-minute compilation from the match began circulating widely on social media. The video claims to show several incidents in which Argentina allegedly benefited from refereeing decisions, further fueling debate among football fans.

The claims made in the viral clip remain unverified.

Argentina march into quarter-finals

Argentina's dramatic comeback sends the defending champions into the World Cup quarter-finals, where they will face Switzerland, who defeated Colombia in the Round of 16.

While Argentina celebrated one of the tournament's most memorable comebacks, Egypt were left to reflect on a match that slipped away after leading by two goals. The overturned VAR decision, Messi's late brilliance and Fernandez's stoppage-time winner ensured the contest will be remembered as much for the controversy as for the football.