Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan attracted a lot of attention during his side’s heavy FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 defeat against Argentina after he made an “X” at referee François Letexier during a late-game challenge. The moment became one of the biggest debates in the game, with viewers questioning what the display meant and whether it would lead to a penalty. Although the symbol has a defined meaning under FIFA rules, how Hassan was used remains open to interpretation, and FIFA has not publicly confirmed its view of the incident.
The event that caused the confusion
Hassan’s exploits ended the chaos in Egypt’s 3-2 defeat at the Atlanta Stadium. Egypt looked on course for one of the biggest challenges of the tournament after Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko put them ahead 2-0. However, Argentina staged a stunning comeback through Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández, whose 92nd-minute header completed the turnaround and sent the defending champions into the quarter-finals. The closing minutes were watched with frustration from the Egyptian bench. In the second half, Egypt challenged several key decisions, especially when Ziko’s goal was ruled out following a VAR review that showed Lisandro MartÃnez’s foul in the build-up. Later, the Egyptian players called for a foul before Messi equalized, believing that Argentina’s attack should be stopped. Tensions also increased during the suspension. After Letexier showed a yellow card to a member of the Egyptian coaching staff in the 98th minute, Hassan went to the technical area and crossed both his arms and made an “X” in front of the player. The Egyptian heir immediately intervened as Hassan’s brother and assistant coach, Ibrahim Hassan, walked over and lowered his hands. Letexier then talked for a long time with both brothers before coming back to talk. Ibrahim Hassan tried to calm down and even gave the referee a thumbs up during the match. No further punishment was seen at the time, although Hassan himself was booked early.
What does ‘X’ mean under FIFA rules?
Under FIFA’s anti-discrimination law, crossing both arms to form an “X” is the internationally recognized symbol used by players, coaches and team officials to report alleged discrimination in sports. Once the referee recognizes the mark, FIFA’s three anti-discrimination measures can be triggered. Depending on the severity of the situation, the referee may stop the game for a while, then stop the game if the abuse continues, and finally stop the game if the incident continues.
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan argues with referee Francois Letexier, of France, during the World Cup Round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Egypt in Atlanta, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
However, it is unclear whether Hassan was using the hands for that purpose. Neither Mr. Hassan nor the Egyptian Football Association said that the sign was an expression of racist violence, and the judge Letexier did not initiate an anti-discrimination policy in FIFA. Instead, play continued after the altercation. Because no explanation has been given, the exact meaning of Hassan’s actions is unclear.
Why would FIFA still investigate?
Although the meaning of Hassan’s hands has not been officially established, it has sparked discussion due to previous cases related to the same. In 2010, the manager of Inter Milan at the time, José Mourinho, made a hand-to-hand comparison to the player. In that case, the Italian authorities interpreted it as a show of handcuffs, an offensive suggestion that the official was biased, and Mourinho was suspended for three games. Whether the same interpretation would work under FIFA’s current governing rules is unclear. According to African football journalist Mickey Jnr, FIFA is expected to review Hassan’s actions following the incident, where the Egyptian manager could be prosecuted. FIFA has not confirmed the investigation.
Hassan continued to criticize after all the time
The argument became part of a criticism of the official that Hassan spoke after the game. Speaking at the post-match press conference, the Egyptian manager questioned several refereeing decisions and insisted that his side had been treated unfairly. “Why is there no justice in sports? In football?” Hassan told reporters. “I don’t want to make it clear here with nice words. We’ve been treated unfairly today. We’ve been treated unfairly.” He also revealed that Egypt rejected before the start of the appointment of French judge François Letexier and said that he believed that his team had not been treated fairly throughout the process. The emotional defeat led Hassan to announce that he would not follow the rest of the game. “It’s my way of speaking up and standing up,” he said. “I don’t watch a single game in this tournament.” Meanwhile, the leadership decisions continued to divide opinion among supporters. Following Egypt’s disallowed goal and several VAR interventions, social media was flooded with claims that the match had been rigged in Argentina’s favour, although no evidence has emerged to support this.