The round-of-16 FIFA World Cup match between Egypt and Argentina in Atlanta ended with a 3-2 victory for the defending champions, but was marred by controversial refereeing decisions.

Egypt, leading 1-0, had a second goal disallowed and VAR was not used for an Argentine goal. Egyptian manager Hossam Hassan called the game "unfair", suggesting FIFA wanted Argentina and Lionel Messi to advance.

The Egyptian Football Association filed a formal complaint. However, the match's deeper significance lies in its connection to the Palestinian struggle.

Hassan waved a Palestinian flag before the game and spoke passionately about Palestinian suffering at a press conference, stating that anyone who doesn't feel compassion for Palestinians "is not a human being".

In the stadium, Egyptian fans held Palestinian flags while Argentine supporters raised an Israeli flag. This occurred against the backdrop of Argentine President Javier Milei's staunch pro-Israel stance.

Milei is closely allied with US President Donald Trump, who calls himself Israel's "best friend". FIFA President Gianni Infantino is also close to Trump.

Infantino lobbied for Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and awarded him the FIFA Peace Prize. Trump reportedly called Infantino to reverse a red card for an American player.

The Egypt-Argentina match took place amid a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and global condemnation of Israel. For many fans, the game symbolized how power shapes rules.

Hassan's image waving the Palestinian flag and speaking about Palestinian suffering will be long remembered.

Source: www.aljazeera.com