Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan drew widespread attention during his team’s dramatic FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 loss to Argentina after making an “X” gesture to referee François Letexier during a tense confrontation in the closing stages of the match. The moment quickly became one of the sport’s biggest talking points, with viewers questioning what the gesture meant and whether it could lead to disciplinary action. While the symbol has a recognized meaning under FIFA regulations, the context in which Hassan used it remains open to interpretation, and FIFA has not publicly confirmed how it views the incident.
The incident that sparked the movement
Hassan’s move came during a chaotic conclusion to Egypt’s heartbreaking 3-2 loss at the Atlanta Stadium. Egypt appeared on course for one of the biggest upsets of the tournament after Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko built a 2-0 lead. However, Argentina pulled off an incredible late comeback through Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández, whose 92nd-minute header completed the turnaround and sent the defending champions into the quarter-finals. The closing minutes were dominated by frustration from the Egyptian bench. Throughout the second half, Egypt protested several key officiating decisions, especially after seeing an earlier Ziko goal disallowed after a VAR review identified a foul on Lisandro Martínez in the build-up. Later, the Egyptian players also appealed for a foul before Messi’s equalizer, believing that Argentina’s attack should have been stopped. Tensions rose during the pause. After Letexier showed a yellow card to a member of Egypt’s coaching staff in the 98th minute, Hassan walked into the technical area and crossed his arms to form an “X” directly in front of the referee. An Egyptian substitute intervened immediately before Hassan’s brother and assistant coach, Ibrahim Hassan, walked over and physically lowered his arms. Letexier then held a lengthy discussion with the two brothers before returning to the pitch. Ibrahim Hassan tried to calm the situation and even made a thumbs-up gesture to the referee during the exchange. No further disciplinary action was taken at the time, although Hassan himself was booked before full-time.
What does the ‘X’ move mean under FIFA rules?
Under FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol, crossing two forearms to form an “X” is the internationally recognized signal used by players, coaches and team officials to report alleged racist abuse during a match. Once the referee recognizes the signal, FIFA’s three-step anti-racism procedure can be activated. Depending on the severity of the situation, the referee may first temporarily stop play, then suspend the match if the abuse continues, and finally abandon the fixture if the incidents continue.
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan argues with referee Francois Letexier, of France, during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Egypt in Atlanta, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
However, it remains unclear whether Hassan used the gesture for a specific purpose. Neither Hassan nor the Egyptian Football Association stated that the signal was intended to report racist abuse, and referee Letexier did not activate FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol during the game. However, the game continued after the confrontation. Since no official explanation has been given, the exact meaning behind Hassan’s gesture remains unconfirmed.
Why can FIFA still investigate?
Although the meaning of Hassan’s gesture has not been officially established, it has prompted discussion due to previous disciplinary cases involving similar actions. In 2010, Inter Milan manager José Mourinho made a similar cross-arm gesture to a referee. In that case, Italian authorities interpreted it as depicting handcuffs, an offensive suggestion that the official was biased, and Mourinho received a three-match suspension. Whether the same interpretation applies under current FIFA disciplinary regulations remains uncertain. According to African football journalist Mickey Jnr, FIFA is expected to review Hassan’s behavior after the incident, with the Egyptian manager likely to face disciplinary proceedings. FIFA has not officially confirmed an investigation.
Hassan continued the criticism after full-time
The confrontation formed part of a wider criticism of the officiating that Hassan voiced after the match. Speaking during his post-match press conference, the Egypt manager questioned a number of refereeing decisions and insisted his side were treated unfairly. “Why is there no fairness in sport? In football?” Hassan told reporters. “I don’t want to try to put it nicely here in beautiful words. We’re being treated unfairly right now. We’re suffering injustice.” He also revealed that Egypt objected before the start of the appointment of French referee François Letexier and reiterated that he believed his team had not received fair treatment throughout the competition. The emotional loss even led to Hassan announcing that he would not be following the remainder of the tournament. “This is my own way of speaking and standing,” he said. “I will not watch a single match in this tournament.” Meanwhile, the officiating decisions themselves also continue to divide the opinion of the supporters. After Egypt’s disallowed goal and several VAR interventions, social media was flooded with accusations that the tournament was rigged in Argentina’s favor, although no evidence emerged to support the claims.