Egypt national team manager Ibrahim Hassan attacked Argentine Lionel Messi following the events of the Argentina match, which brought the two teams together in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Ibrahim Hassan said in televised statements: 'Lionel Messi is a provocative player. He confronted us more than once and provoked us. He is a cold player, and the referee is the reason for the result.'

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He added: 'We will continue working in the coming period to appear in the best form,' noting that the Egyptian national team always deserves to be at the forefront of the World Cup and all tournaments it participates in. Egypt had been eliminated from the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, after losing in the Round of 16.