Legends react to Argentina match controversy

Argentina defeated Egypt 3-2 in a crucial World Cup match yesterday (July 7) to advance to the quarter-finals. Several decisions in the match are controversial.

After the dramatic match, there is a lot of controversy over refereeing and VAR. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has directly alleged that the match was rigged to give the current world champions an advantage and keep Lionel Messi in the tournament. His explosive comments have created a stir in the football world, to which legends like Thierry Henry, Roy Keane and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have also given mixed reactions.

Former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry understood Egypt's frustration in this regard, but did not support the conspiracy allegations. He said, "Let's understand the matter calmly. Everyone is shouting, but not everyone is seeing the same event." I have watched the replay several times and I understand why Egypt is frustrated. I also understand why Argentina believes the decision was right. That is why the debate is so heated.

According to Henry, the main problem is not whether the decision was wrong or right, but the consistency of the refereeing. He said that when Egypt scored, VAR thoroughly reviewed it and overturned it. But later, when Egypt appealed for a penalty, the same thorough review was not seen, the decision was made too quickly. This is where fans start to ask questions. The football world has adopted VAR in the hope of consistency, not perfection. Fans just want the same rules to apply to every team.

However, Henry praised Argentina's mentality and Egypt's heroic fight for a brilliant comeback.

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane completely dismissed the Egypt coach's allegations. He said, "After losing a match, fans can make such excuses, not the coach of a national team. If your team loses a 2-0 lead in the last minute of the match, the first thing you should do is look in the mirror." Keane also said, "When Messi wins, people forget about football and look for conspiracy stories. This is laziness. Accept the defeat, analyze where you went wrong and improve the team. There is no point in blaming the referee or marketing scheme for your team not being able to hold on to the match. Leaders have to take responsibility, not make excuses."