FIFA referee Francois Letexier has deactivated his Instagram account following intense criticism over his officiating in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 match between Egypt and Argentina. The French official, who had previously restricted comments on his posts, took his account offline after fans accused him of making several controversial decisions that favored the defending champions.
Match Overview
Egypt took an early lead in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim scored from a set piece, heading home to put the Pharaohs ahead. They doubled their advantage in the 67th minute through Mostafa Ziko, leaving Argentina on the brink of elimination. However, Argentina mounted a dramatic comeback: Cristian Romero pulled one back, and Lionel Messi equalized after missing an earlier penalty. In stoppage time, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez scored the winning goal to send Argentina into the quarter-finals with a 3-2 victory.
Controversial Decisions
Letexier faced scrutiny for three key incidents. First, in the 58th minute, Ziko appeared to score Egypt's second goal, but it was disallowed after a VAR review ruled that Lisandro Martínez had been fouled in the build-up. Second, Egypt were denied a penalty when Alexis Mac Allister seemed to pull Hamdy Fathy's shirt in the box, but Letexier waved play on and VAR did not intervene. Third, before Fernandez's winner, many fans argued that Mohamed Salah had been fouled, halting Egypt's attack and allowing Argentina to counter.
Reactions on Social Media
Fans reacted strongly to Letexier's move. @MohammadAnism wrote: "Argentina must be thankful to him. He is the best player of Team Argentina." Bugi8581 commented: "The worst referee I’ve ever seen. He robbed an entire nation of its dream. Egypt should have won that game." @LethaboTheka75 added: "Man knows exactly what he has done."
Impact and Aftermath
Despite the controversy, Argentina advanced to the quarter-finals, while Egypt exited the tournament. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) sent a message of support to Egypt after their record-breaking World Cup campaign. Letexier's decision to deactivate his Instagram highlights the growing online backlash referees face in high-stakes matches.
