New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has become the latest high-profile figure to back Egypt after its controversial 3-2 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 defeat to Argentina, declaring that the African side had been “robbed” in a remark that quickly went viral amid growing debate over the officiating.Mamdani’s comments came a day after Lionel Messi inspired defending champions Argentina to one of the most dramatic comebacks in World Cup history, overturning a 2-0 deficit in the final 15 minutes to eliminate Mohamed Salah’s Egypt and book a place in the quarter-finals.
Mamdani backs Egypt with viral ‘robbed’ remark
Speaking during the launch of New York City’s “Next Stop: Better Buses, Faster Service” initiative, Mamdani unexpectedly referenced the World Cup controversy while highlighting how commuters would benefit from faster bus services.“Now, if you take the bus to work, that adds up fast,” Mamdani said. “Within six months, you will have spent 24 fewer hours on the bus. By the time a year rolls around, you will have saved more than two days of commuting time.”He continued: “That means breakfast with your family. It means having the time to argue balls and strikes at your kid’s Little League game. It means getting home for bedtime.”Then came the line that drew loud cheers from the audience.“It means agreeing with your friends that Egypt were robbed yesterday. Above all, it means time returned to New Yorkers who don’t have nearly enough of it.”The mayor’s remark instantly resonated with supporters who believe Egypt were denied a fair result, although it does nothing to alter the official outcome that sent Argentina through after Messi inspired a stunning late turnaround.Mamdani’s comments also echoed a growing chorus of criticism from Egyptian players, coaches and fans, many of whom have alleged that key refereeing decisions favoured the reigning world champions.
VAR controversy fuels ‘rigged’ claims after Argentina comeback
The controversy centred on several flashpoints that dramatically altered the momentum of the match.Early in the second half, Egypt thought they had doubled their advantage when Mostafa Ziko found the net following an impressive team move. However, after a lengthy VAR review, referee officials ruled that Marwan Attia had fouled Lisandro Martínez earlier in the build-up, leading to the goal being overturned.Many analysts and supporters argued the foul occurred too far before the goal for VAR to intervene, making the decision one of the tournament’s biggest talking points.Egypt still managed to establish a 2-0 lead shortly afterwards, but Argentina stormed back spectacularly. Messi sparked the revival by assisting Cristian Romero in the 79th minute before Argentina scored twice more, completing an extraordinary 3-2 victory in stoppage time.Another contentious moment came when Julián Álvarez escaped without conceding a penalty after a challenge on Salah, adding further fuel to accusations that crucial calls favoured Argentina.In the aftermath, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan, several players and the Egyptian Football Association openly questioned the officiating, with some describing the tournament as “rigged” in favour of Argentina.The Egyptian Football Association said it “cannot remain silent” over what it described as inconsistent and unfair refereeing, insisting that several key decisions directly influenced the outcome of the match.FIFA’s head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, rejected suggestions of bias, defending the VAR intervention and stressing that “a foul is a foul” regardless of how far before a goal it occurs. He also warned that unfounded allegations against match officials could lead to threats and abuse.
