Referee Letexier Responds After Argentina vs. Egypt World Cup Controversy

The Argentina vs. Egypt Round of 16 game in the 2026 World Cup not only provided drama but also controversy. After going 2-0 down, Argentina came back to win the game 3-2 and advance to the quarterfinals.

The reigning world champions remain in the competition and will play Switzerland in the quarterfinals on Saturday at Kansas City Stadium.

Many neutral fans online have been very critical of the referee's performance in the Argentina vs. Egypt game. The referee in charge was French official François Letexier.

Letexier is criticized for his decision to overturn an Egyptian goal during the second half, after a foul was committed on Argentina's Lisandro Martinez before the goal went in.

Following the match, Egypt players and the coaching staff were furious with the referee, and after the game, many other fans expressed their dissatisfaction with the referee's performance online.

The referee would later receive backlash and online abuse, which led Letexier to take action online.

François Letexier's Instagram Account Deactivated

According to African Football Journalist Micky Jnr, François Letexier deactivated his Instgaram account following the Argentina vs. Egypt match. Letexier likely received online abuse from fans after his controversial performance.

Letexier reportedly first limited comments on his post, and now the account has been completely shut down.

The questioning continues as Ismael Mahmoud reports that Egyptian Federation President Hany Abo Rida has filed an official complaint against French referee François Letexier and his assistants.

There are also reports that the Egyptian FA asked FIFA to remove referee Letexier from the rest of the tournament.

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 12:08 PM.