<\/p>\n
The World Cup\u2019s biggest conspiracy theory has gone into overdrive off the back of Argentina\u2019s thrilling 3-2 win against Egypt<\/a> on Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n The outcry against the refereeing as the reigning world champions scored three goals in the space of 14 minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of the defeat has even managed to overshadow the scandal of USA striker\u2019s Folarin Balogun red card being overturned<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ufeffUFC 329: McGregor v Holloway 2 | SUN 12 JULY 11AM AEST | Conor McGregor is back. The Irish superstar takes on the always dangerous Max Holloway in a rematch 13 years in the making. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n In that case, the conspiracy quickly disappeared.<\/p>\n US President Donald Trump admitted that he called FIFA president Gianni Infantino and requested Balogun\u2019s suspension be overturned.<\/p>\n Whereas in the case of Argentina, the scathing words of Egypt\u2019s coach Hossam Hassan, goal scorer Mostafa Zico and the Egyptian Football Federation\u2019s official statement are ringing in football people\u2019s ears the world over.<\/p>\n But there is nothing to prove their claims.<\/p>\n Messi leads all-time escape in comeback | 02:02<\/p>\n Zico had a goal disallowed by VAR for a foul in the build-up, well before he found the back of the net.<\/p>\n A similar incident went unpunished in the lead-up to Enzo Fernandez\u2019s 93rd minute winner.<\/p>\n The contrast led Zico to allege that the referees conspired against the North Africans<\/a> who eliminated Australia in a Round of 32 penalty shootout.<\/p>\n \u201cThe referee has robbed a whole nation of its efforts,\u201d Zico said.<\/p>\n \u201cCongratulations, Argentina, on winning the World Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n Hassan shared similar sentiments in his fiery press conference where he also referred to Mohamed Salah being denied a penalty despite being the Egyptians\u2019 protests.<\/p>\n \u201cI do not want to put it nicely and talk about hard luck. We have been cheated unfairly today, we have suffered injustice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n While in an official statement president of the Egyptian Football Federation Hany Aburida also \u201cdemanded the exclusion of the referee and the entire crew from the World Cup after investigating these mistakes and proving the crime of discrimination against the Egyptian national team\u201d.<\/p>\n The explosive comments have received strong support all around the world.<\/p>\n New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani said Egypt were \u201crobbed\u201d, while football fans on social media have been quick to point to other oddities surrounding Argentina.<\/p>\n France\u2019s quarter-final against Argentina will consist of an all-Argentine group of referees.<\/p>\n That has sparked outrage among fans as the defending champions\u2019 seemingly easier path through the knockout stage.<\/p>\n Bubbling away under the surface is that Argentina have a long history of being closely connected to World Cup conspiracy theories.<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/b><\/p>\n WC Daily \u2014 European revolt against FIFA boss explodes; icon gone as brutal coaching toll grows<\/a><\/i> \u2018Serious mistakes\u2019: Furious nation demands WC expulsion over \u2018robbery\u2019 in explosive statement<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n There\u2019s a sinister side to Messi\u2019s World Cup fairytale. It\u2019s the tip of FIFA\u2019s ugly iceberg<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n ARE THE REFS FAVOURING ARGENTINA?<\/b><\/p>\n The comments from the Egyptians were clear and the claim that Argentina get more favourable treatment from the referees simply will not go away.<\/p>\n It has been a feature of past World Cups, particularly in Qatar four years ago as the Argentine\u2019s prevailed to add World Cup champion to Lionel Messi\u2019s illustrious resume.<\/p>\n And it came to the fore in their opening game of this tournament as Messi avoided a sanction for a studs up challenge on Algeria captain A\u00efssa Mandi<\/a>.<\/p>\n The referee awarded a free kick but kept his cards in his pocket.<\/p>\n Messi had already scored one goal at that point, but went on to bag two more to complete in his first World Cup hat-trick in a 3-0 win for Argentina.<\/p>\n Algeria filed an official complaint about the refereeing post-game and former Venezuela forward Ale Moreno said on ESPN: \u201cIt\u2019s 100 per cent a red card.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cIt plays along this narrative that great players get preferential treatment,\u201d Moreno added.<\/p>\n Messi escapes red after studs-up tackle | 00:24<\/p>\n The Messi non-red card was in the spotlight as many deemed it to be similar to Balogun\u2019s dismissal against Bosnia-Herzegovina.<\/p>\n Debate raged around whether Messi had benefited from favouritism, but former Premier League referee Graham Scott insisted that is not the case.<\/p>\n \u201cFew referees would have dismissed him for the challenge \u2014 not because it was Messi but because there was no intent or intensity in his actions,\u201d \ufeffhe told The Athletic<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cBear in mind that the ref was Szymon Marciniak, who was in charge of the 2022 World Cup final. We are not talking about a novice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe very best (referees) can set all prejudice aside and judge each incident on its merits and in context, and every ref will swear that they are always striving to do so,\u201d Scott added.<\/p>\n \u201cBut there are few officials who can achieve this goal absolutely, as all know that the scrutiny that will follow an incorrect red card shown to a legend of the game will be unbearable. We\u2019re only human.\u201d<\/p>\n To put football fans\u2019 perceptions about Argentina and the referees to the test, The Sun\u2019s<\/a> Charlie Gordon crunched the numbers.<\/p>\n The journalist found that on average, Argentina have been shown one card for every 19.6 fouls they have committed at this World Cup.<\/p>\n The defending champions have received three cards in their five matches so far this tournament, but committed 59 fouls in total.<\/p>\n Only Erling Haaland\u2019s Norway have a better card-to-foul ratio as they only received two cards from 48 fouls so far.<\/p>\n Based on the numbers, the dirtiest team in the final eight are the Three Lions.<\/p>\n \u201cWith just 6.75 fouls committed per card shown, England are bottom of the list by miles,\u201d Gordon added.<\/p>\n Thomas Tuchel\u2019s side have been shown seven yellows as well as Jarell Quansah\u2019s red card against Mexico<\/a>.<\/p>\n HAVE ARGENTINA BEEN HANDED A FAVOURABLE DRAW?<\/b><\/p>\n Another stigma surrounding Argentina is that they have received a very friendly path towards the latter stages of the World Cup.<\/p>\n That was by design by FIFA.<\/p>\n The governing body announced last year that the top four teams in the world rankings – France, Spain, Argentina and England – would be seeded in the World Cup draw.<\/p>\n It meant that if they all topped their respective groups, they could not meet until the semi-finals.<\/p>\n The principle is the same as how the draw works in tennis\u2019 grand slams where the seeded players cannot face each other until the later stages of the tournament.<\/p>\n For example, world No.1 Jannik Sinner will meet seventh seed Novak Djokovic in a Wimbledon semi-final on Friday.<\/p>\n Sinner could not possibly meet second set Alexander Zverev until the final.<\/p>\n It has done to ensure that blockbuster matches happen at the pointy end of the tournament.<\/p>\n With all of four seeded nations topping their group this World Cup, the same will be true.<\/p>\n But despite that fact, there has been criticism of Argentina meeting tiny nation Cabo Verde in the Round of 32 before facing Egypt in the Round of 16.<\/p>\n After FIFA president Gianni Infantino inserted Lionel Messi\u2019s Inter Miami into last year\u2019s new-look Club World Cup despite them not being the MLS champions, there is a strong belief that Infantino makes sure Messi stays in his tournaments for as long as possible because the Argentine legend is good for business.<\/p>\n Regardless when the draw was released, the tiny island nation off the coast of Africa were given a one per cent chance of finishing second in their group ahead of Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n Argentina were not awarded a third place finisher like other nations that topped their group, and many of would have expected a South American showdown with two-time champions Uruguay in the Round of 32.<\/p>\n No one certainly would have predicted Cabo Verde to then take Argentina to extra-time.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was for those who said we had an \u200ceasy run in the draw,\u201d Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni told reporters after their 3-2 victory against the nation with a population of a little more than half a million people.<\/p>\n \u201cSure, we deserved to win and go through, but it was an extremely \u200cdifficult match.\u201d<\/p>\n The nature of the expanded 48-team format with an added knockout round means that lesser ranked teams are going to make it through.<\/p>\n And there are naturally going to be inconsistencies with one side of a draw stronger than the other.<\/p>\n Argentina will meet England in the semi-finals if Messi\u2019s men defeat Switzerland and Harry Kane\u2019s side overcome Norway.<\/p>\n Neither team will have faced a top-ten ranked nation if they make it to the final four.<\/p>\n Whereas on the other side of the draw, Spain will have beaten fifth-ranked Portugal and ninth-ranked Belgium if they reach the semi-finals.<\/p>\n While France play seventh-ranked Morocco in the quarter-finals, who faced fellow top ten nation the Netherlands in the Round of 32.<\/p>\n What it really says is seedings and rankings are imperfect.<\/p>\n Teams, or individuals depending on the sport, will always perform above or below expectations.<\/p>\n There are many tennis aficionados that believe Sinner and Djokovic should be the final at Wimbledon, but that is simply the luck of the draw.<\/p>\n Kobel the hero as Swiss down Colombia | 01:02<\/p>\n IS HAVING ALL THE REFEREES FROM ONE COUNTRY COMMON?<\/b><\/p>\n Eyebrows were raised when FIFA announced the referees for France\u2019s quarter-final against Morocco would all be Argentines.<\/p>\n It is an unprecedented move at a World Cup.<\/p>\n It has been common for a collective of referees from one country to be on the same game as they have experience officiating together.<\/p>\n For example, the referee and two assistant referees for England\u2019s thrilling 3-2 win against Mexico in the Round of 16 were all Australian.<\/p>\n But the fourth official and the reserve assistant referee were from Morocco.<\/p>\n It has never happened at a World Cup before that all five have hailed from the same country.<\/p>\n The suggestion is that the Argentine officials could sabotage tournament favourites France, who Argentina defeated in the last World Cup final.<\/p>\n But the French are not letting such insinuations get to them<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to deal with it. I trust the referees. Our opponent is Morocco, not the referee,\u201d France coach Didier Deschamps said.<\/p>\n But Deschamps could not resist making a tongue in cheek comment in reference to the officiating in Argentina\u2019s win over Egypt.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s hope our [officials] are as good as Monsieur Letexier was,\u201d he told reporters.<\/p>\n While reserve goalkeeper Robin Risser said: \u201cThere\u2019s been a certain bitterness [between France and Argentina] for a few years now since the last final, but that\u2019s part of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cIf these referees are there, it\u2019s because they\u2019re up to the level of the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n ARGENTINA\u2019S HISTORY OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES<\/b><\/p>\n One of the biggest reasons why Argentina have been at the centre of such speculation is because they have history.<\/p>\n There is also a cloud of uncertainty surrounding their current regime.<\/p>\n