Mayor Zohran Mamdani says Egypt were “robbed” after Argentina match

New York: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday endorsed Egypt’s complaint that it was “robbed” in its dramatic 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 loss to Argentina, amplifying criticism of referee François Letexier and the match’s VAR decisions.

Mamdani raised the issue while unveiling his “Next Stop: Better Buses, Faster Service” programme, using the match as an aside to illustrate how regained time could let New Yorkers “argue balls and strikes” at a child’s game — and “agree with your friends that Egypt were robbed yesterday.”

The match’s key controversy centred on a second-half goal by Mostafa Zico that VAR ruled out after spotting a foul more than 20 seconds before the ball crossed the line. Argentina later staged a comeback to win 3-2.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) formally lodged a complaint about the officiating, saying it could not remain silent over decisions during the match and alleging improper use of the VAR system. The EFA said analysts had highlighted incidents that directly affected the outcome and raised questions about fairness and consistency at the tournament.

The backlash extended to players. An Egyptian star, speaking to The Athletic, suggested the World Cup result was “fixed,” questioning why a penalty was overturned, why another potential penalty was not reviewed, and why Zico’s goal was disallowed. He also alleged pressure from the Argentine side on the referee.

Letexier, the French referee who officiated the game, has faced widespread scrutiny since the match, with critics and officials calling for clearer VAR protocols and greater transparency in high-stakes decisions.