• •Egypt manager Hossam Hassan publicly accused FIFA of manipulating the match outcome in favor of Lionel Messi.
• •Hassan cited perceived officiating injustices as the primary driver behind Egypt’s 3-2 defeat to Argentina.
• •No official evidence has been presented to support the claim of match-fixing or biased officiating by FIFA.

Egypt manager Hossam Hassan alleged that FIFA influenced his team's 3-2 defeat against Argentina to ensure Lionel Messi remained in the tournament. This follows a long history of managers criticizing officiating during high-stakes World Cup matches to deflect from tactical shortcomings. However, the claim remains unsubstantiated, as Hassan provided no concrete evidence of procedural bias beyond his post-match frustration. Whether this accusation leads to a formal investigation by FIFA or remains a transient outburst will depend on if Egyptian football officials choose to escalate the complaint.