Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has spoken out after his controversial “X” move during Argentina’s dramatic 3-2 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 loss against Argentina sparked widespread debate. The moment, directed at referee François Letexier in stoppage time, quickly attracted attention because it coincided with UEFA’s official anti-racism reporting protocol used by players and staff to report discriminatory abuse. With high tension after a chaotic finish and a series of disputed decisions, the move became one of the most talked-about incidents in the game, prompting questions about its meaning and purpose.
Hassan said the gesture was aimed at the referee, not an allegation of racism
The flashpoint came in the closing stages of Egypt’s Round of 16 defeat after Argentina completed a remarkable comeback from two goals down.With emotions running high, television cameras captured Hassan crossing his arms in an “X” shape as he directed his frustration at referee François Letexier. His twin brother and assistant coach, Ibrahim Hassan, immediately lowered his arms before showing the Egypt manager a yellow card.Since the gesture has been used in professional football to report alleged racist abuse, including during Benfica’s Champions League meeting with Real Madrid earlier this year, it has quickly led to speculation about its intended meaning.Speaking after the tournament, however, Hassan vehemently rejected that interpretation.“The gesture is not racist,” Hassan said quoted by The Sun.“I was told [the referee]’you’re not fair’.”
Hassan revealed the exchange to: Lionel Messi
Hassan also gave his confrontation with Lionel Messi in the closing moments of the match.According to the Egypt coach, Messi questioned him after the incident as tensions escalated on the touchline.“[Messi] came up to me and said, ‘Why?’ Why? Why?’ And I don’t know what else,” Hassan said.“It was one of the few times that Messi argued during a match. And he ended up crying because he was struggling emotionally.“We are a very difficult team and we put them in a difficult position. I tried not to answer him and to avoid any verbal friction between us, out of respect for his career.”The emotionally charged contest saw Argentina overturn a 2-0 deficit through goals from Cristian Romero, Messi and Enzo Fernández during a thrilling 13-minute spell to book a place in the quarter-finals.
Egypt continues to officiate their match
Despite explaining the meaning of his action, Hassan did not soften his criticism of the officiating.Egypt believed they were denied a number of key decisions during the match, including the disallowance of Mostafa Ziko’s goal and what they felt was an unpunished foul on Mohamed Salah to build Enzo Fernández’s dramatic winner.Immediately after the defeat, Hassan suggested that external pressure had influenced the officials.“We don’t see respect or fair play,” he said.“There seems to be pressure on the Argentinian side of the referee that led to this result.“Life is not fair. The world is not fair. OK, but why is there no fairness in sports?“I’m not convinced with this result and the way things happened in this match.“The referee is unfair, God is enough for me and the best manager of affairs.“He is wasting the effort of an entire country. The cup is aimed at Argentina.”The Egyptian Football Association later issued its own strongly-worded statement, calling on FIFA to investigate what it described as “blatant errors” by the officiating team and demanding that referee Letexier and his crew be removed from the rest of the tournament.
FIFA responded as disciplinary uncertainty remained
The accusations prompted a response from FIFA by Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina, who defended the integrity of the officials and rejected suggestions that Argentina received favorable treatment.Although Hassan has yet to face disciplinary action for his behavior on the touchline or his post-match comments, the matter is not completely closed.According to: The Athletic, FIFA intends to review potential disciplinary cases after the end of the World Cup, following the same procedure adopted after the 2022 tournament.Hassan and Egypt forward Mostafa Ziko are among those who could still face sanctions for comments deemed to have undermined the game, while other figures, including Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji and England manager Thomas Tuchel, have also publicly criticized refereeing standards during the tournament.Hassan’s latest explanation, however, removes one aspect of the controversy. As Egypt continue to dispute the officiating that accompanied their heartbreaking elimination, the veteran coach insisted that the move that generated worldwide debate was never intended as an allegation of racism but rather a protest against what he believed to be an unfair performance from the referee.