NYC Mayor Thinks FIFA Robbed Egypt of a Famous Win Against Lionel Messi’s Argentina in World Cup

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani calls out FIFA referees for poorly officiating the Egypt-Argentina game.

NYC Mayor Thinks FIFA Robbed Egypt of a Famous Win Against Lionel Messi’s Argentina in World Cup

Mohammed Salah and Zohran Mamdani inside the circle (Image via Sky Sports/X)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani grew up an Arsenal FC fan and boasts a good deal of soccer knowledge. He’s quite sure that a poor refereeing decision cost the Egyptian national team a place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The referee disallowed Egypt forward Mostafa Ziko’s goal in the second half after VAR caught one of his teammates committing a foul on an Argentine player leading up to the goal. Argentina went on to win the game 3-2.

One day later, Mamdani took a cheeky dig at FIFA while campaigning for better transportation at a local rally.

Now if you take the bus to work that adds up fast. Within six months you will have spent 24 fewer hours on the bus. By the time [the] year rolls around you will have spend more than two days of commuting time. That means breakfast with your family, it means having the time to argue balls and strikes in your kids little league game, it means getting home for bedtime. It means agreeing with your friends that Egypt were robbed yesterday.

Zohran Mamdani said at the rally

Argentina stands one step closer to defending their World Champion title.

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Zohran Mamdani doubles down on his support for Egypt

After finishing his monologue, Mamdani took questions from the press. One journalist asked how he would spend the additional six minutes saved by better bus service.

NYC Mayor Admits FIFA Robbed Egypt of a Famous Win Against Lionel Messi's Argentina in World Cup
Egypt captain Mohammed Salah (Image via Sky Sports)

With my extra six minutes I would probably just watch the replay of Egypt getting robbed again and again yesterday… You just go to throw up he VAR.

Mamdani smiled and answered

The Egyptians are not happy with VAR

Right before Ziko’s goal, Marwan Attia stepped on Lisandro Martinez’s foot outside of the Argentina box. The referee took VAR’s help and disallowed Egypt’s second goal.

Ziko scored again a few minutes later. Thirteen minutes later, Christian Romero scored Argentina’s first goal, and Lionel Messi equalized in the 83rd minute. An Enzo Fernández header in added time secured the win for the South American nation.

The referee is unfair. This is clear and obvious injustice. He wasted the efforts of an entire country.

Ziko said after the game

The 29-year-old winger who plays for Pyramids club in the Egyptian first division lashed out at the officials, calling the fixture “fixed.”

I apologise to the fans. We wanted to make them happy, and we couldn’t. It was not in our hands. The tournament is directed.

Ziko said with tears in his eyes

Egypt boss Hossam Hassan told BBC Sports his side had been “treated unfairly” and “suffered injustice”

There have been a lot of things to be questioned on and off the pitch… Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Perhaps they wanted [Lionel] Messi to stay in the running. The world champion received support at every level. There seem to be pressures from the Argentina side on this outcome.

Hassan said

This is the latest VAR scandal to sour the mood of the World Cup. After a VAR ruling sent off Team USA forward Folarin Balogun in their Round of 32 game, the President of the USA, Donald Trump, assembled a group of lawyers to point out to FIFA that they made a mistake. FIFA overturned the decision, allowing Balogun to play against Belgium. However, Team USA suffered a 4-1 defeat against the sixth-best nation on the planet.

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