Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia said refereeing decisions in the Argentina-Egypt World Cup round-of-16 match were technically correct despite allegations of bias.

The comments address a growing controversy over whether Egypt was robbed of a result through manipulated Video Assistant Referee (VAR) calls favoring Lionel Messi and Argentina.

Argentina won the match 3–2 [1]. Egypt had initially led 2–0 before Argentina scored three goals to secure the victory [2]. The comeback sparked accusations from the Egyptian side that the officiating was unfair and designed to benefit the Argentine star.

Bhutia addressed the specific controversy regarding a disallowed Egyptian goal. He said the decision was technically correct by the rulebook because the play involved a minor foul on Martínez [3]. While he defended the specific call, he acknowledged that the technology used to review such plays is flawed.

"VAR is not perfect and they are getting questioned for the right reasons," Bhutia said [4].

Bhutia also pushed back against the idea that Argentina had secured the game early in the match. He noted that the lead was precarious rather than a guaranteed win. "It wasn't a victory. It was a two‑goal lead," Bhutia said [5].

The dispute centers on whether the application of the rulebook in high-stakes moments is consistent across different teams. Egypt's allegations of manipulation suggest a systemic bias, while Bhutia's analysis suggests the referee simply followed the established laws of the game [3].

“"VAR is not perfect and they are getting questioned for the right reasons."”

The debate over VAR in the 2026 World Cup highlights the tension between technical rule adherence and the perceived 'spirit of the game.' When high-profile players like Lionel Messi are involved, technical correctness often clashes with public perception of bias, leaving officials and analysts to navigate a divide between the rulebook and the optics of the match.