Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: African powerhouse Egypt has been eliminated from the tournament after losing to reigning world champions Argentina in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Despite leading 2-0 in this thrilling match, the Pharaohs ultimately lost 3-2. After the match, Egyptian star forward Mustafa Zico expressed his anger over the referee's decision and made explosive allegations that 'the World Cup was rigged to win Argentina'. However, without cutting the thread of that controversy, this time the 29-year-old footballer made a big and sensational confession about Albiceleste captain Lionel Messi. Zico has performed well for Egypt in this World Cup, scoring two goals and providing one assist in five matches. The team's second goal in the match against Argentina also came from his foot. However, in an interview with broadcasters after the match, he erupted in anger. Zico alleged that the referee had been biased against them from the start of the match and had ruined the hard work of their entire country. Claiming that FIFA did not want Argentina to lose 2-0 and exit, he clearly said that this tournament was completely fixed and rigged, which was clear to the naked eye. He apologized for not being able to entertain the country's millions of fans and placed the entire blame on the referee. Before the storm of these serious allegations subsided, Zico talked about Lionel Messi in an interview. He said that the presence of superstar Lionel Messi on the field did not affect or scare him at all.
He even claimed that he did not notice Messi's presence on the field during the entire match. Although Zico acknowledged Messi as one of the greatest players in football history, he said that his main inspiration was Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo. While acknowledging Messi's superiority, he said, Messi is definitely one of the best players in football, but after Cristiano Ronaldo. Because he loves Ronaldo with all his heart and considers him his idol. Zico had a goal disallowed in the first half of the match against Argentina.
After that regret and the dramatic loss in the last minute of the match, the Pharaohs star's one-on-one comments have now sparked a new discussion in the football world. On the one hand, his serious questions about the transparency of the World Cup, and on the other hand, his public stance on the Messi-Ronaldo duel - all in all, this Egyptian forward is spreading a different kind of heat outside the World Cup stage.
