World Cup VAR Scandal: Referee Breaks Silence on Shocking Error That Helped Argentina Beat Egypt

• A FIFA World Cup referee has criticised the VAR decision that ruled out Egypt’s second goal against Argentina.

The controversial VAR decision during Argentina’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt at the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues to generate debate, with a former FIFA referee claiming officials wrongly disallowed a goal that could have changed the outcome of the match.

The incident occurred when Egypt appeared to have taken a 2-0 lead, only for the goal to be ruled out following a VAR review. Argentina eventually staged a remarkable comeback to win 3-2 and secure a place in the quarter-finals.

Adding to the controversy, former Mexican FIFA referee Fernando Guerrero, who was part of the video assistant referee team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, has publicly criticised the decision.

Writing on his X account, Guerrero argued that both the on-field referee and the VAR team failed to apply the protocol correctly.

“The referee and VAR were wrong to disallow Salah’s goal for Egypt.”

He explained that there was “no foul on the Argentine player,” and even if officials believed there had been one, the incident should not have been reviewed under the Attacking Possession Phase (APP) because Argentina had enough time and opportunity to regain possession.

Watch the goal below:

According to Guerrero, Argentina’s defenders had several chances to recover the ball before Egypt’s attack continued, meaning the sequence no longer qualified for VAR intervention.

“The Argentine team had three opportunities to recover the ball and failed to do so. Therefore, the decision goes completely against the VAR protocol,” he said.

Guerrero added that the incorrect review ultimately harmed Egypt and contributed to their elimination from the tournament.

“VAR and the referee made a mistake, harming Egypt and ultimately contributing to their elimination,” the experienced official stated.

The comments have intensified discussions surrounding the officiating of the Round of 16 encounter, with Egypt’s players and coaching staff also expressing frustration over the controversial decision after the match.

Guerrero is a highly respected figure in international refereeing. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he served exclusively as a member of the VAR team and was part of the officiating crew for the World Cup final, where Argentina defeated France to lift the trophy. He also worked as VAR in group-stage matches including Denmark vs. Tunisia, Belgium vs. Morocco and Japan vs. Spain.

Although Argentina went on to complete an extraordinary comeback and advance to the quarter-finals, Guerrero’s remarks have reignited questions over whether the disallowed goal altered the course of one of the tournament’s most dramatic matches.