Argentina’s qualification against Egypt at the 2026 World Cup was marked by a new controversy that went beyond the sporting result.
After Enzo Fernández’s dramatic goal that gave the Albiceleste a 3-2 victory, Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan was involved in a striking scene in the technical area: he made a gesture with his arms in the shape of an “X”, but what does it mean?
The coach then pointed toward the section where the Argentine players were and complained to French referee François Letexier. The fact is that this signal is part of FIFA’s protocols against racism and any form of discrimination.
According to reports, Egypt said it had received a racist comment during the match, although so far it has not been publicly determined who allegedly committed the act, nor is there an official sanction.
The situation sparked a heated discussion on social media. While some fans called for a thorough investigation and stressed that any report of discrimination must be taken seriously, others pointed out that it is still necessary to know exactly what happened before drawing conclusions.
The controversy also came in a match that was already full of tension, following several disputed refereeing decisions, including the goal disallowed for Egypt after the VAR intervention and the African team’s complaints during Argentina’s comeback.
Now attention turns to FIFA and whether the investigation will determine if there was punishable conduct or if the episode will remain merely as one of the major controversies of the 2026 World Cup.