Egypt manager who made 'X' gesture appears to spit at fans and clashes with FIFA photographer in new footage

Egypt's manager has been filmed seemingly spitting at Argentinian fans after his side were knocked out of the World Cup.

The Pharaohs' hopes of reaching the World Cup quarter-finals were crushed yesterday after Lionel Messi's side scored three goals within the final 13 minutes, booking them a place against Switzerland on Sunday.

Egypt have not taken the loss lying down, instead accusing the referee of 'rigging' the match in favour of the reigning champions.

Now footage of manager Hossam Hassan after the final whistle has emerged on social media, showing him appearing to spit and swear at Argentinian fans stood in the stands.

Hassan and several other members of the Egyptian coaching staff are seen walking towards the tunnel when they are seemingly taunted by Argentinian fans.

The 59-year-old, whose temper was already boiling over after the intense game, appears to lose his temper completely, shouting at fans while pointing to the Egyptian badge on his shirt.

Hassan then seems to spit at the fans while being guided away by members of staff. Goalkeeping coach Saafan El-Sagheer, who received a red card for his conduct after Enzo Fernández's winning goal during injury time, can also be seen shouting at fans.

Watch the incident below:

It's not immediately clear what led to Hassan becoming so enraged at the Argentinian supporters, however several social media users have claimed that he was reacting to seeing fans waving an Israeli flag at him.

Footage shared by Al Jazeera does indeed show a fan holding up an Israeli flag near the tunnel but does not prove the two incidents are linked.

Hassan has been vocal about his support for Palestine during the tournament, with the former striker seen waving a Palestinian flag on the pitch after his side's win against Australia.

When asked to comment on his decision to wave the flag in a press conference, Hassan urged athletes and journalists at the World Cup to speak up about the Palestinian people.

The incident wasn't the only controversy in which Hassan was involved in during the match, with the manager also receiving a yellow card after making an X gesture during the game.

The gesture is part of FIFA's new policies allowing players, referees and staff to report alleged incidents of racism, prompting the game to be stopped.

It's not currently clear what Hassan was reacting to when he made the gesture, however he later received a yellow card for his conduct from referee Francois Letexier.

Although Hassan has not commented on the reason behind his decision to make the gesture, he did make a pointed dig at Letexier on social media, posting an image of the French referee on his Facebook account alongside the comment 'The World is watching' and two emojis of a person crossing their arms.

The Egyptian FA has not commented on Hassan's actions either, but has since released a lengthy statement criticising the game's refereeing decisions.

"The Egyptian Football Association extends its sincere gratitude to the Egyptian people everywhere for their unwavering support, loyalty, and belief in the national team throughout our FIFA World Cup journey," read the statement, which had been posted on Instagram.

"The exceptional support shown by millions of Egyptians, both at home and around the world, was a source of immense pride and motivation for our players and delegation. The national team represented Egypt with honour, determination, and courage, delivering performances that reflected the spirit and character of our nation.

"At the same time, the Egyptian Football Association cannot remain silent regarding the refereeing decisions witnessed during the match against Argentina as well as the failure to make appropriate use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. Several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game.

"A number of football experts and specialist analysts, both locally and internationally, have highlighted controversial and influential refereeing incidents during the match. This underlines the importance of maintaining the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and transparency in match officiating, particularly in a competition of the stature and significance of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

"Egyptian football has always respected the principles of fair play, sporting integrity, and respect for the game. These same principles require that all teams compete on equal terms and receive equal treatment. What occurred during the match has understandably generated widespread frustration among our players, staff, and supporters, who expected the highest standards of officiating on football’s biggest stage.

"Defending the rights and interests of the Egyptian national team is not a matter that can be ignored, minimized, or treated as secondary. It is a responsibility that we carry with full conviction and determination. Every player who wears the Egyptian shirt, and every supporter who stands behind the team, deserves fairness, respect, and equal application of the laws of the game.

"While the result is now part of history, our pride in."

LADbible Group has approached the Egyptian FA and FIFA for comment.