A gesture made by the Egyptian national team coach Hossam Hassan during the match between 'Al Ahly' and Argentina at the World Cup provoked both bewilderment and debate.
A gesture made by the Egyptian national team coach Hossam Hassan during the match between 'Al Ahly' and Argentina at the World Cup provoked both bewilderment and debate.
The yellow card was shown after Hassan made an 'X' gesture, crossing his arms in front of the referee. This gesture was not just a random hand movement; according to FIFA information, it is a new symbol intended for players and officials to report racist incidents.
FIFA states that this gesture serves as a way for referees, players, and match officials to report racist behavior. In such a situation, the referee decides on the necessity of stopping the game. Match officials have the authority to stop the game, but this comes with a warning: if the racist incident that caused the stoppage does not cease, the match may be cancelled.
According to FIFA guidelines, the mere act of making the gesture does not automatically warrant a yellow card penalty. Furthermore, details regarding the alleged racist incident that Hassan referred to remain unclear, as does the referee's justification for issuing him a card.
On Tuesday, fan zones and football viewing spots became arenas of boisterous cheers and disappointment as Egypt and Argentina played a very tense match that kept spectators on the edge of their seats.
Federico Escobar, a Dubai resident who was in a shisha cafe filled with Egyptian fans, supported his homeland. He noted that he was the only Argentine present, so he did not actively cheer when the opposing team scored. Nevertheless, he expressed concern during the first half, stating that Egypt had played exceptionally well and they should be proud.
The Egyptian couple Mohamed and Bushra watched the match from a restaurant on Sheikh Zayed Road, dressed in matching red jerseys. After the game, they expressed their disappointment but emphasized their pride in the team and its performance. Mohamed noted that the Egyptians completely dominated in the first half and added that some referee decisions were questionable, which led to a feeling of some disappointment.
Before the changes occurred, Egypt was leading by two goals and looked ready to pull off the biggest upset of the tournament. However, in the 79th minute, Romero scored the first goal for Argentina, after which Messi and Fernandez quickly added two more goals.
The actions of the Egyptian national team manager, Hossam Hassan, who raised the Palestinian flag and dedicated the victory to the Palestinian people, sparked a wave of indignation in Israeli media circles. The media perceived this move as a direct political challenge that went beyond sporting events.
According to information from Israel Channel 12, the Egyptian coach achieved a historic feat by leading his country to the Round of 16 of the World Cup for the first time after winning a knockout match. However, he used this opportunity to raise the Palestinian flag and dedicate the success to the residents of the Gaza Strip, wishing them victory.
This Hebrew channel noted that Hassan, who is the top scorer in Egypt, raised the flag of an 'entity' not participating in the tournament, which is considered a violation of FIFA rules. This act caused discontent among Israelis, especially considering that Egypt has a peace treaty with Israel. These events took place against the backdrop of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza emerging from destroyed homes and tents to watch the match and express joy over the Egyptian team's victory.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, considered the most widely circulated Hebrew daily newspaper, reported that the Egyptian national team manager decided to use the global platform to demonstrate solidarity with the Palestinians following Egypt's historic qualification for the World Cup Round of 16. He raised the Palestinian flag and dedicated the achievement to the Palestinian people.
The newspaper added that after the match, which ended with Egypt defeating Australia on penalties after a draw in regular and extra time, Hassan stated that his heart and soul were with the Palestinians. He dedicated this victory to both the Egyptian and Palestinian peoples, calling them 'good and generous people.' The article noted that his words resonated widely in the Arab world and quickly spread across social media.
The newspaper emphasized that celebrations in Egypt spread throughout the Gaza Strip, where residents gathered to watch the match among destroyed buildings and tents, and children raised Egyptian flags. A resident of Gaza was quoted as saying that he was watching the World Cup with such enthusiasm for the first time.
Furthermore, the Hebrew daily mentioned that superstar Mohamed Salah spoke about the atmosphere within the national team, emphasizing his maturity, leadership over the players, and efforts to create a comfortable environment for them.
The newspaper also reported an incident involving Dallas police officer who pushed team manager Ibrahim Hassan and player Mahmoud Hassan 'Trezeghat' during an attempt to take a joint photo with a fan. Nevertheless, it was confirmed that this did not affect the team's preparation.
Meanwhile, the Israeli news site Walla commented on the scene of raising the Palestinian flag, stating: 'The Egyptian national team manager celebrated with the Palestinian flag and said:
A representative of the US police offered formal apologies to Ibrahim Hassan, manager of the Egyptian national football team, following a conflict that occurred at the hotel where the team is staying in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday.
The conflict arose shortly after the 'Pharaohs' arrived in Dallas on Thursday morning to prepare for the World Cup match against Australia. The clash happened when Hassan intervened to protest the aggressive behavior of the hotel security staff and local police towards a young child and several fans who were trying to take photos with the players.
Specifically, the incident took place in the lobby where winger Mahmoud Hassan 'Trezeghet' was talking to a young fan. To settle the dispute, the involved US police officer and the hotel general manager met with Ibrahim Hassan to offer official apologies. Furthermore, the second police officer who was involved in the conflict was ordered to leave the premises and was permanently replaced by another security staff member.
An insider within the national team confirmed that the minor dispute was quickly resolved on site with representatives of the local security services. The source emphasized that this incident was merely a consequence of the security service's overly active response to enthusiastic Egyptian fans and did not affect the team's focus ahead of the historic match against Australia on Friday.
