Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan, who had earlier drawn attention by waving the Palestinian flag after his side defeated Australia to reach the Round of 16, became the focus of fresh controversy on Tuesday following Egypt’s dramatic exit from the FIFA World Cup. From heated exchanges with match officials to making FIFA’s anti-racism gesture and an apparent spitting incident involving rival supporters waving an Israeli flag, Hassan’s conduct has sharply divided opinion, with supporters praising his defiance and critics condemning his actions.
The match, in which Argentina staged a remarkable comeback, was marked by repeated confrontations involving Egyptian players, Hassan and the referee, as the Pharaohs protested several decisions they believed had gone against them.
During one such incident, Hassan crossed his arms to form an X—FIFA’s official anti-racism signal—apparently attempting to alert referee François Letexier to alleged abuse or discriminatory behaviour. Instead, he was shown a yellow card.
After the final whistle, as Hassan walked towards the dressing room, Argentina supporters were seen waving an Israeli flag from the stands. Videos circulating on social media show the Egypt coach becoming visibly upset, exchanging words with the fans and appearing to spit in their direction before being escorted away.
Hassan’s actions—both after Egypt’s victory over Australia and following the defeat to Argentina—have turned him into a polarising figure. Supporters have applauded his outspoken support for the Palestinian cause and his passionate defence of his team, while critics have labelled him a sore loser, accusing him of suggesting that biased officiating or a "rigged" contest contributed to Egypt’s elimination.
According to reports, Hassan also spoke about the situation in Gaza during his post-match press conference and criticised players who had not publicly supported the Palestinian cause.
From a two-goal lead to World Cup heartbreak
Egypt’s run to the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup equalled the nation’s best-ever performance at the tournament, matching its achievement from 1934.
The Pharaohs finished second in Group G after drawing 1-1 with Belgium and Iran and defeating New Zealand 3-1. They progressed to the knockout stage on goal difference behind Belgium before eliminating Australia on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
Against Argentina on Tuesday, Egypt appeared on course for one of the tournament’s biggest upsets after taking a 2-0 lead in the first half, during which Lionel Messi also missed an early penalty.
Argentina, however, mounted a stunning comeback. Cristian Romero scored with a header in the 79th minute, Messi equalised in the 83rd minute, and Enzo Fernández netted the winner with another header in the second minute of stoppage time to seal a 3-2 victory and send the reigning world champions into the quarterfinals.
Hassan’s X gesture and confrontation with fans
As Argentina fought back from two goals down, tensions escalated in the Egyptian camp.
Frustration initially flared after Mostafa Zico’s goal was ruled out by VAR because of a foul by Marwan Attia on Lisandro MartÃnez in the build-up. Egypt also protested what it believed was a foul before Messi’s equaliser and unsuccessfully appealed for a late penalty.
When Fernández scored the stoppage-time winner, Egypt again protested, leading to a heated exchange. During the commotion, Hassan crossed his forearms to make FIFA’s official anti-racism gesture, which is intended to trigger the governing body’s three-step anti-racism protocol and, in extreme cases, can lead to matches being suspended or abandoned.
Neither Hassan nor FIFA has explained what prompted the gesture. Assistant coach Ibrahim Hassan quickly intervened before referee François Letexier cautioned Hossam Hassan with a yellow card.
The controversy continued after the match. As Hassan headed towards the tunnel, an Argentina supporter was seen waving an Israeli flag. Videos shared online show the Egypt coach arguing with supporters and appearing to spit in their direction before being led away.
"We were treated unfairly"
Speaking after the match, Hassan maintained that Egypt had not been treated fairly.
"I'm not convinced with this outcome. I'm not convinced with the way things unfolded during this match," he said during the post-match press conference, adding, "We have been treated unfairly today. We have suffered injustice."
Hassan argued that Egypt had matched, and at times outperformed, the reigning world champions.
"We looked better compared to the reigning champions. We were better in everything, but the result, the outcome, was influenced by internal factors on the pitch, inside the game, and external factors ahead of the game," he said.
Coach’s actions spark divided reactions
Hassan’s conduct during Egypt’s matches against Australia and Argentina has generated sharply contrasting reactions.
Following Egypt’s victory over Australia on July 3, Hassan celebrated by waving a large Palestinian flag on the pitch and dedicated the win to the Palestinian people. UAE-based newspaper The National reported that residents in Gaza later displayed a large banner featuring Hassan’s image among bomb-damaged buildings in tribute.
The reaction following Egypt’s defeat to Argentina, however, was markedly different.
"I'm so glad Argentina came back and beat Egypt today, after their POS head coach waved a Palestinian flag around the field following their victory over Australia a few days ago! Karma is a beautiful thing to behold," MAGA influencer Vince Langman wrote on X.
At his post-match press conference after the Argentina defeat, Hassan again referred to Gaza. According to the Palestinian news agency Quds News Network, he said: "Children wearing Argentina, Barcelona, Messi and Real Madrid shirts grow up loving football and its stars, yet they are being killed while the world remains silent."
Others were critical of Hassan’s approach. Egyptian author Dalia Ziada argued on X that Egypt’s sporting successes were increasingly being reframed to serve broader regional political narratives rather than being celebrated purely as Egyptian achievements.
Israeli AI researcher and entrepreneur Eli David also criticised Egypt’s position, writing on X that the country had "built a 7-layered wall on its border with Gaza to make sure not a single Palestinian refugee crosses into Egypt."
Reactions to Hassan’s conduct after the Argentina match were equally divided. Palestinian journalist Basem Alhabel described Hassan’s apparent spitting towards supporters waving Israeli flags as "the greatest spit in history."
In contrast, televangelist Rachid Hammami, widely known as Brother Rachid, criticised the Egypt coach on X, saying, "He never takes responsibility for his own mistakes and always looks for someone else to blame."
