“You are trying to beat the whistle. You are trying to beat the VAR room. You are trying to beat the entire script of the tournament.”
By Stephen Jones
José Mourinho has launched a scathing attack on the officiating in Argentina’s 3-2 victory over Egypt, claiming the decisions throughout the match made it impossible for the Pharaohs to compete on level terms.
The former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Roma manager did not hold back in his assessment of the game, arguing that Egypt were not just up against Lionel Messi’s Argentina, but against the entire officiating system.
“When you play against this Argentina team, being 2-0 up is never enough, because you are not just trying to beat eleven men on the pitch,” Mourinho said.
He alleged: “You are trying to beat the whistle. You are trying to beat the VAR room. You are trying to beat the entire script of the tournament.”
Mourinho pointed to four specific moments he believes changed the course of the match in Buenos Aires.
The first came when Mohamed Salah broke through on goal, only for play to be stopped. “Salah was through on goal and the referee blows his whistle for a foul against Egypt for Paredes failing to get the ball,” Mourinho said.
He then turned to a challenge by Argentina defender Cristian Romero on Salah. “Cristian Romero almost snaps Mohamed Salah’s leg in half, and the referee suddenly goes blind. No card,” the Portuguese tactician added.
The third incident involved a disallowed Egypt goal. “Egypt scores a beautiful goal, and VAR rewinds the game back to the Stone Age just to find a reason to cancel it,” Mourinho claimed, suggesting the review process was used to overturn legitimate scores.
His strongest criticism was reserved for the dying minutes. With the score at 2-2, Mourinho said Egypt were denied a clear penalty.
“And then, in the 93rd minute, they foul Salah in the box, a clear penalty that would win Egypt the game and they let play continue so Enzo can go down the other end and score the winner,” the ‘Special one’ said.
‘It is not football anymore’
Mourinho concluded his remarks with a damning summary of what he saw, accusing the match of being predetermined.
“It is not football anymore. It is a movie, and the ending has already been decided before the players even walk out of the tunnel,” he said.
The comments add to growing debate around refereeing standards at this year’s tournament, with several coaches and pundits questioning the consistency of VAR interventions and on-field decisions in matches involving tournament favorites.
Argentina’s 3-2 win keeps the Albiceleste on course in the competition, but the result has been overshadowed by controversy.
The Egyptian Football Association has not yet issued an official statement on Mourinho’s comments or on the officiating, but local media in Cairo have echoed similar frustrations, with newspapers describing the late penalty appeal as “stonewall” and the disallowed goal as “harsh.”
Mourinho no stranger to controversy
This is not the first time Mourinho has criticized match officials. Throughout his career, the 62-year-old has regularly spoken out about what he perceives as inconsistencies in refereeing at the highest level of the game.
His latest outburst is likely to attract attention from FIFA’s disciplinary committee, which monitors public comments about match officials during the World Cup.
However, supporters of the former manager argue he is voicing what many neutral observers felt watching the game unfold.
Pundits were divided after the final whistle. Some agreed that Romero’s challenge warranted at least a yellow card, while others defended the VAR team’s decision to rule out Egypt’s goal for a marginal offside in the buildup.
For Egypt, the focus now turns to recovering from a painful defeat. Having led 2-0, the Pharaohs will feel they deserved victory against the world champions.
For Argentina, the win extends their unbeaten run, but questions over the manner of victory are unlikely to go away quickly — especially with a figure as prominent as Mourinho adding his voice to the criticism.
As the tournament progresses, officiating is expected to remain a major talking point, with teams, coaches and fans all demanding greater clarity and consistency from both referees on the pitch and officials in the VAR room.
