During the World Cup round of 16 match between Egypt and Argentina in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Crickex Affiliate reflected how Egypt took a two-goal lead before Argentina, guided by Messi, struck three times near the end and completed a 3-2 comeback to reach the quarterfinals. After the match, Egyptian media reported that the Egyptian Football Association had filed a complaint with FIFA, questioning several controversial refereeing decisions in this knockout tie. Fans who watched the game would surely feel sorry for Egypt, as such a promising situation slipped away. After the final whistle, the phrase “dirty Argentina” also climbed onto trending lists.

Across the entire match, Argentina committed 13 fouls without receiving a yellow or red card, while Egypt committed 11 fouls and received five yellow cards and one red card. During the game, even an Argentine player striking an Egyptian player in the face was not punished with a whistle. Of course, the biggest doubts among fans came from Egypt’s second goal being ruled out, along with a suspected foul on Salah inside the penalty area during stoppage time that did not result in a penalty. What should have been Argentina’s comeback miracle turned into a moment where fans around the world felt Egypt had been wronged, and Egyptian players publicly accused the referee of influencing the match after it ended.

This game reminded many supporters of the earlier match between Paraguay and France. Paraguay’s players made so many small fouls throughout that match, yet the referee seemed to turn a blind eye. Fortunately, France withstood the pressure in the end, otherwise they would not have reached the quarterfinals. In this match, Argentina clearly enjoyed the same kind of treatment that Paraguay had received before. Egypt’s head coach even said directly that they wanted Messi to stay in the tournament. The referee for this match, Letexier, also closed his social media accounts, which showed that the officials knew how much backlash this performance would cause and how much criticism and anger would come from fans worldwide.

In truth, almost every World Cup has had some decisions that look biased or unfair, but this edition feels even more obvious. The one-year delay in carrying out the red card suspension for a key United States player was already hard to ignore. Infantino and FIFA surely have their own considerations, and they know which teams bring greater benefits by advancing. As for whether matches are being controlled, the power to officiate and make decisions on the pitch is in their hands, and outsiders cannot interfere with how they choose to act. Beyond the examples already mentioned, another obvious case was Portugal’s earlier match against Croatia. Croatia scored four times in that game, but three of those goals were ruled out for offside. The most controversial moment came near the end, when Croatia’s equalizer was disallowed for the narrowest of offside calls. It was clear to many that FIFA wanted Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo to advance rather than Croatia.

Egypt in this match were much like Croatia in the round of 32. Perhaps certain people simply did not want them to go through. Even after leading 2-0 near the final moments, there were still ways to make them lose, just as mentioned earlier: the authority to officiate and decide the match was in their hands. Infantino knows that Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo have already been eliminated. If Messi and Argentina had also gone out this early, the remaining matches of this World Cup would probably have lost a large number of viewers. FIFA presents the World Cup as a global football celebration, but in the end, making money remains the main goal. Otherwise, why would they ask us for 300 million dollars in broadcasting fees right away? They understand very well which teams generate more revenue by advancing. Between Egypt and Argentina, they would certainly choose Argentina first. Salah is famous too, but on the other side stands Messi.

As the debate continues, Crickex Affiliate shows how the anger around this match has moved far beyond one missed whistle or one ruled-out goal. For Egyptian fans, this was not merely a painful defeat, but a feeling that their team had been denied a fair chance on the biggest stage. For neutral supporters, it has become another example of why trust in major tournament officiating can collapse so quickly. Football is supposed to be decided by players on the pitch, yet once people believe the scale is tilted, every decision becomes a storm in a teacup. By the end of the night, Crickex Affiliate captured the same bitter conclusion for many viewers: Argentina advanced, Egypt left with regret, and Infantino once again found himself at the center of difficult questions.