Following Argentina's controversial 3-2 win over Egypt in the 2026 World Cup, an old video of Lionel Messi accusing CONMEBOL of corruption during the 2019 Copa America has resurfaced. The video is drawing ironic parallels to the current situation, where Egypt's coach has alleged unfair treatment to keep Argentina in the tournament.
Amid the controversy over Argentina’s 3-2 win over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 at the Atlanta Stadium on Tuesday, July 8, an old video of Lionel Messi accusing CONMEBOL of corruption during the 2019 Copa America in Brazil has resurfaced on social media.
The contest between Argentina and Egypt was marred by controversy over several officiating and VAR decisions. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan publicly alleged that his team had been ‘cheated’ and treated unfairly, claiming that external factors and pressure were at play to ensure the defending world champions and Lionel Messi remained in the tournament.
Egypt was on the verge of pulling off an upset after leading 2-0 before Argentina staged a dramatic late comeback, with goals from Cristian Romero (79), Lionel Messi (83), and Enzo Fernandez (90+3) sealing a thrilling victory and a place in the quarterfinals, keeping their World Cup title defence alive.
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Messi’s 2019 Copa America ‘Corruption’ Rant
As Argentina’s victory was overshadowed by the post-match outcry, an old video of captain Lionel Messi resurfaced on social media, in which he accused the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) of corruption during the 2019 Copa America in Brazil.
Following Argentina’s 2-1 win over Chile for a third-place finish, wherein Messi was shown a red card for a controversial altercation with Gary Medel, the legendary forward boycotted the medal ceremony and then unleashed a scathing attack on the tournament's integrity, accusing the federation of fixing the tournament in favor of the host nation, Brazil.
“We don't have to be part of this corruption," Messi famously remarked.
“There was a lack of respect toward us during this Copa America. We could have done better, but they didn't let us make it to the final. Corruption and the referees are not letting the fans enjoy football. This is ruining football. I think the cup is fixed for Brazil,” he added.
Brazil went on to clinch their ninth COPA America title, defeating Peru in the final, while Argentina and Chile finished third and fourth, respectively. The resurfacing of these historic, inflammatory comments in the wake of the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 has sparked a massive debate on social media.
Why Is Messi’s 2019 ’ Corruption ’ Rant Relevant Again?
The old video of Lionel Messi accusing CONMEBOL of corruption and rigging during the 2019 Copa America was resurfaced at a time when the fairness of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is under intense scrutiny. The disgruntled fans are drawing an ironic parallel between the perceived officiating imbalances of the past and the explosive allegations made by Egypt's Hossam Hassan.
While Messi accused the South American Football Confederation of ‘fixing’ the cup for Brazil, the Egyptian coach reversed the target of his grievances, alleging that FIFA and match officials were orchestrating a campaign to protect Argentina and keep Lionel Messi in the 2026 tournament for ‘marketing’ and commercial interests.
Since Messi’s 2019 ‘corruption’ rant was focused on the regional bias within CONMEBOL, specifically targeting the tournament organizers for favouring the host nation Brazil, ensuring their success in that year's Copa America, while Hossam Hassan’s 2026 allegations were directed at FIFA and the officiating crew of the Round of 16 match, adding that external factors were at play to ensure Argentina remain in the tournament.
The two different allegations by Lionel Messi back in 2019 and Hossam Hassan in 2026 have one thing in common: the profound sense of institutional mistrust and the belief that the tournament's integrity was compromised by external interests.
However, none of the allegations were substantiated by evidence of official misconduct or systemic rigging. Both Messi’s 2019 outburst and Hassan’s 2026 accusations stemmed from the outcry from the fans, who believed that controversial officiating decisions had unfairly affected the outcome of their respective matches.
