Egypt's exit from the World Cup led to one player claiming that the tournament is 'fixed', with former Liverpool star Mohamed Salah finding himself embroiled in the controversy
22:07, 09 Jul 2026
Head coach Hossam Hassan and Mohamed Salah of Egypt talk with referee Francois Letexier during the FIFA World Cup USA 2026 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, United States, on July 7, 2026. (Photo by Ayman Aref/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Mohamed Salah and Egypt's World Cup ended in controversy(Image: Getty Images)
John Arne Riise has hit out at Egypt’s accusations that the World Cup has been “rigged” - although the former Liverpool star does sympathize with Mohamed Salah’s side after their defeat to Argentina.
Salah’s tournament ended in controversy as the Pharaohs were knocked out following a remarkable comeback from the defending champions. Lionel Messi was among the scorers as Argentina came from 2-0 down to book a quarter-final spot against Switzerland.
Egypt though has reacted angrily to the manner in which it was dumped out of the tournament, with two incidents in particular raising the ire of its manager and players.
The African team had a goal disallowed by VAR when Marwan Attia was ajudged to have pulled back Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez before Mostafa Ziko turned home from Salah’s through ball.
And Egypt took issue with Enzo Fernandez’s eventual winner in stoppage time, arguing that Salah had been tripped by Julian Alvarez in the opposite penalty area before Argentina countered.
Chaos ensued on the Egyptian bench, with one of the team’s coaches sent off while manager Hossam Hassan appeared to use FIFA’s approved “No Racism Gesture” which is supposed to signal an incident of racial abuse to the referee. Ziko would go on to claim that the tournament has been “fixed” in an extraordinary post-match interview.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 07: Referee Francois Letexier shows a red card to team official Saafan Elsaghir of Egypt during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium on July 07, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Egypt's bench was left furious with Argentina's late winner, with one coach sent off for his protests(Image: Getty Images)
Riise feels the Egypt forward went too far with his claims, but the former Norway international did raise questions over the decisions made in the game as his own country remains on course to meet Argentina.
“First of all, I think it’s ridiculous to hear people saying everything is rigged,” Riise told BestBettingSites. “Some decisions always go for you and some go against you; that’s just football.
“But I do miss consistency when it comes to the referees and VAR. That’s the real issue.
“The goal that got canceled for Egypt was a weird one. They went back something like 17 seconds to find a foul.
Former Player, John Arne Riise speaks during the UEFA Conference League Quarter Final Leg One match between FK Bodo/Glimt and AS Roma
John Arne Riise has slammed accusations that the World Cup is fixed(Image: Michael Campanella/Getty Images)
“Yes, it’s a foul if you look at the video replay, but usually, you don't see those given when play has moved on that far, and the referee didn't give it initially on the pitch. In my opinion, that goal should have stood.
“I think the referee lost control of the game a little bit – not because of Messi, but just because of the sheer pressure of the match.
“We’ve seen many referees do great things in this World Cup, but because we're getting closer to the final, people are analyzing every single whistle much more intensely. Still, I’m just happy Messi is through, and hopefully, we can meet him in the semis.”
Get Liverpool's new 2026/27 home kit
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Content Image
£85
LFC Shop
Buy Now on LFC Shop
Liverpool FC have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27, inspired by iconic adidas strip worn during the club's 1989/90 title-winning campaign.
Riise has also had his say on the other big controversy surrounding the World Cup, with the former left-back insisting that FIFA’s decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s ban for a red card and allow him to play for the USA against Belgium worked against the hosts.
“Oh, 100% it motivated them [Belgium],” Riise said. “I'm certain they talked about it in the dressing room and said, ‘Listen, let’s go out there, smash them, and show them that this rhetoric isn't right.’
Article continues below
“You shouldn't technically need extra motivation at a World Cup, but an emotional edge like that always helps.
“You could see it after the whistle – the Belgian players were celebrating specifically with gestures aimed at the Trump narrative. They clearly used it as fuel to beat the Americans. And rightly so – it obviously wasn't the American players' fault, but those kinds of political statements shouldn't be overlapping with the tournament.”