Aboutreika Criticizes FIFA After Egypt's World Cup Exit

Mohamed Aboutreika, a former Egyptian midfielder, expressed his discontent with FIFA and the officiating after Egypt's 3-2 loss to Argentina in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup held in Atlanta on Tuesday. Egypt initially took a 2-0 lead with goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko.

However, Ziko's earlier goal was disallowed due to a foul in the build-up, which Aboutreika believes significantly influenced the match. Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, managed to rally back, with Messi missing a penalty in the first half, and Enzo Fernandez scoring in the final minutes to secure the victory.

Aboutreika took to social media to voice his concerns, stating that Egypt's rights were violated, particularly referencing the referee's decisions and the VAR review process that did not favor the Egyptian team.