Egypt coach Hossam Hassan drew widespread attention during his side’s dramatic 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16 defeat to Argentina after making an “X” gesture at referee François Letexier during a tense late-match clash. The moment quickly became one of the game’s biggest talking points, with viewers wondering what the gesture meant and whether it could lead to disciplinary action. While the symbol has a meaning recognized by FIFA regulations, the context in which Hassan used it remains open to interpretation, and FIFA has not publicly confirmed how it viewed the incident.
The incident that sparked the gesture
Hassan’s gesture came during a chaotic conclusion to Egypt’s 3-2 defeat at Atlanta Stadium. Egypt appeared on course for one of the biggest upsets of the tournament after Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko had established a 2-0 lead. However, Argentina staged a remarkable late comeback through Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández, whose 92nd-minute header completed the turnaround and sent the defending champions into the quarter-finals. The final minutes were dominated by frustration from the Egyptian bench. Throughout the second half, Egypt protested several key officiating decisions, particularly after seeing a goal from Ziko first ruled out after a VAR review identified a foul on Lisandro Martínez in the build-up. Later, the Egyptian players also appealed for a foul before Messi’s equalizer, believing that Argentina’s attack should have been stopped. The tension increased even more during the stop time. After Letexier showed a yellow card to a member of Egypt’s coaching staff in the 98th minute, Hassan took a step towards the technical area and crossed his arms to form an “X” directly in front of the referee. An Egypt substitute immediately intervened before Hassan’s brother and assistant coach, Ibrahim Hassan, walked over and physically lowered his arms. Letexier then had a long discussion with the two brothers before returning to the camp. Ibrahim Hassan tried to calm the situation and even made a thumbs up gesture towards the referee during the exchange. No disciplinary action appeared to be taken at the time, although Hassan himself was benched before full-time.
What does the “X” gesture mean under FIFA rules?
Under FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol, crossing both forearms to form an “X” is the internationally recognized signal used by players, coaches and team officials to report alleged racist abuse during a match. Once the referee recognizes the signal, FIFA’s three-step anti-racism procedure can be activated. Depending on the severity of the situation, the referee may first temporarily stop the game, then suspend the match if the abuse continues, and finally abandon the match if the incidents persist.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan talks with referee Francois Letexier of France during the World Cup Round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Egypt in Atlanta, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
However, it is not clear if Hassan was using the gesture for that specific purpose. Neither Hassan nor the Egyptian Football Association said the signal was intended to signal racist abuse, and referee Letexier did not trigger FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol during the match. Instead, the game continued after the confrontation. Because no official explanation has been provided, the precise meaning behind Hassan’s gesture remains unconfirmed.
Why would FIFA even investigate?
Although the meaning of Hassan’s gesture has not been officially established, it has prompted discussion due to previous disciplinary cases involving similar actions. In 2010, then Inter Milan manager José Mourinho made a comparable crossed-arms gesture towards a referee. In that case, the Italian authorities interpreted it as depicting handcuffs, an offensive suggestion that the official was biased, and Mourinho received a three-match suspension. Whether the same interpretation would apply in FIFA’s current disciplinary regulations remains uncertain. According to African football journalist Mickey Jnr, FIFA is expected to review Hassan’s conduct following the incident, with the Egypt manager potentially facing disciplinary proceedings. FIFA has not officially confirmed an investigation.
Hassan continued the criticism after full time
The confrontation was part of a wider criticism of the officiating that Hassan said after the match. Speaking during his post-match press conference, the Egypt manager questioned several refereeing decisions and insisted his side had been treated unfairly. “Why is there no justice in sports? In football?” Hassan told reporters. “I don’t want to try to put it nicely here with nice wording. We were treated unfairly today. We suffered injustice.” He also revealed that Egypt had objected before kick-off to the appointment of French referee François Letexier and reiterated that he believed his team had not been treated fairly throughout the contest. The emotional defeat also led Hassan to announce that he will not play the rest of the tournament. “It’s my way of talking and standing,” I said. “I haven’t watched a single match of this tournament.” Meanwhile, the decisions of the officials themselves also continue to divide opinion among supporters. Following the disallowed Egyptian goal and several VAR interventions, social media was flooded with accusations that the tournament had been rigged to favor Argentina, although no evidence has emerged to support these claims.