Egyptian national team player Hamdi Fathy confirmed that the Pharaohs delivered a strong performance against Argentina in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, but admitted that mistakes in the final minutes contributed to the defeat. He also pointed out that the team faced refereeing decisions that affected the course of the match.
Fathi stated in a television interview: "We were prepared for the match against Argentina to win, and we entered the game with the goal of victory. The coaching staff gave us great confidence, even conveying the idea that Messi is an ordinary player, which is why we played without fear of the opponent."
He added: "The referee changed his decisions during the second half, and we felt there was refereeing injustice. Argentina's third goal was not valid, and I had a penalty that was a million percent correct. After the match, I saw a similar situation in Europe, and he awarded it."
The Al-Wakrah player concluded his statements by admitting the national team's mistakes at the end of the match, saying: "Surely we fell short in the last 10 minutes against Argentina, and if we could turn back time, we would have focused more in the final minutes. After the match, we all returned to the hotel in shock, and we couldn't believe what happened."
