FIFA WC: Egypt complains to FIFA, seeks action against referees after Argentina defeat

Egypt has reportedly lodged a formal complaint with FIFA against the officiating team led by French referee Francois Letexier following the Pharaohs' dramatic 3-2 defeat to defending champions Argentina in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16.

Egypt looked set to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament after racing to a 2-0 lead.

However, Argentina mounted a stunning comeback, with Lionel Messi scoring once and providing an assist before Enzo Fernandez netted a stoppage-time winner.

The thrilling contest has since become the centre of a major refereeing controversy, with Egyptian officials alleging that several key decisions were unfairly in favour of Argentina.

Also read: Pharaoh-ly unfair: 8 reasons Egypt believes Argentina's World Cup win was ALLEGEDLY rigged 

According to Spanish outlet Diario AS, Egypt Football Association president Hany Abo Rida has submitted an official protest to FIFA, requesting an investigation into the performance of Letexier and his officiating team.

The report adds that the federation has also asked FIFA to remove the French referees from the remainder of the World Cup, arguing that their decisions had a decisive impact on the outcome of the match.

The Egyptian camp remains particularly aggrieved over two incidents. A goal scored by Egypt was ruled out following a VAR review, while a late penalty appeal involving Alexis Mac Allister was not reviewed before Argentina launched the attack that resulted in Fernandez's winning goal.

Head coach Hassan did not hide his frustration after the match, suggesting that factors beyond football may have influenced the result.

‘We looked better than the reigning champions in every aspect, but the result was affected by internal factors on the pitch and external factors off it,’ Hassan told reporters.

He went on to question whether there was a broader desire to keep Argentina and Lionel Messi in the competition.

'Perhaps they wanted the world champions to stay alive. Perhaps they wanted Messi to continue in the tournament,' he said.

The Egyptian coach also criticised the officiating standards, insisting that his team had been denied fair treatment.

'We did not receive respect or fair play. A clear penalty was ignored without even a VAR review, and our second goal was disallowed under questionable circumstances. We have been treated unfairly, and it is an injustice,' Hassan added.

FIFA has not yet publicly responded to Egypt's reported complaint. The controversy has further intensified the global debate surrounding the officiating in Argentina's dramatic victory, which has already sparked widespread discussion among fans and football pundits.