“The Tournament is Rigged”: Mostafa Ziko blasts referee for clear bias after World Cup exit
Following Egypt’s heartbreaking 3-2 World Cup knockout defeat to Argentina, forward Mostafa Ziko claimed the tournament is rigged and accused referee François Letexier of deliberate bias against the Pharaohs.
Egyptian forward Mostafa Ziko launched an explosive critique against match officials following his team’s dramatic 3-2 elimination by Argentina. Ziko, who scored during the highly charged Round of 16 encounter, heavily condemned French referee François Letexier for displaying persistent bias.
The striker claimed that the officiating crew actively worked to stifle Egypt’s momentum from the opening whistle to protect the reigning champions. Expressing deep emotional distress in his post-match comments, Ziko boldly alleged that the global tournament was orchestrated to favor Lionel Messi’s side.
He insisted that the refereeing decisions inflicted an intentional injustice that completely undermined Egypt’s competitive efforts. While congratulating Argentina, the Pyramids FC player concluded that the South American giants required external assistance to advance.
