World Cup 2026 Soccer Egypt the latest victim of VAR in improbable World Cup loss to Argentina By Collin Ward Published July 7, 2026, 5:25 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add The New York Post on Google VAR takes center stage at the World Cup once again.
Argentina came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Egypt and move on to the World Cup quarterfinals, but a disallowed goal from replay review dampened the story.
Egypt took the lead in the 15th minute off of a brilliant corner and looked poised to take down the defending world champions with another goal in the 58th minute, until VAR found a foul in the build-up.
Referee Francois Letexier, of France, gestures to Egypt players during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Egypt. AP Photo/Colin Hubbard The foul, which was committed by Marwan Attia on Lisandro Matrinez, happened 21 seconds before the goal and nearly 100 yards away from it.
The referee on the game explained the foul happened in the “offensive phase” therefore resulting in a free kick.
“How far back in the play does VAR go? Back to kick off soon!!” ESPN commentator Ian Darke said on X. “Hint of farce about that Egypt goal being ruled out. The goal would have stood for 150 years prior to VAR.”
Controversy continued with Argentina’s game winning goal in the 93rd minute as Mohamed Salah was seemingly fouled eerily similarly to the aforementioned infraction in the direct lead up.
Not only did the Egyptian players have a case for the goal to be disallowed, with the foul in Argentina’s box, they also clamored for a penalty.
“If you’re going to pull it back for Argentina on the edge of the box to disallow a goal, you have to pull it back for this one with Mo Salah,” Ian Wright said on ITV Sport. “He’s been caught. Whatever we say, it might be minimal, he’s been caught and then they go up the other end.”
While protesting one of Egypt’s coaches was sent off with a direct red and another received a yellow card.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates after the match as Argentina qualify for the quarter finals of the World Cup. REUTERS Three players for Egypt were also given cards for dissent.
“I’m not convinced with this outcome. I’m not convinced with the way things unfolded during this match,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said. “I do not want to try to put it nicely here with beautiful wording, selected wording, and saying hard luck and so on and so forth.
“We have been treated unfairly today,” he continued. “We have suffered injustice.”
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The Argentina-Egypt game is just another example of VAR taking over at the World Cup as this year’s edition of the tournament reached 13 red cards.
It also comes at a time video review is under a ton of scrutiny after it sent off American striker Folarin Balogun in their round of the 32 match against Bosnia, before the punishment was deemed to be wrongfully given by FIFA.
