Former Manchester United player, Rio Ferdinand has criticised the standard of officiating following Argentina’s victory over Egypt, arguing that football must apply the same rules to every team regardless of their status.
Speaking after the match, Ferdinand said supporters were frustrated by what he described as inconsistent refereeing decisions rather than the final result.
According to the former Manchester United defender, officials appeared quicker to award fouls in Argentina’s favour, while similar incidents involving Egypt were allowed to continue without intervention.
Ferdinand also questioned the role of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), particularly during the build-up to Enzo Fernández’s winning goal.
He said Egypt’s players appealed for a foul before the goal and expected the incident to undergo a thorough VAR review, but claimed no meaningful check appeared to take place.
“What exactly is VAR there for if not to review the biggest moments in the biggest matches?” Ferdinand asked, adding that he believed a similar incident involving Argentina at the opposite end of the pitch would likely have been reviewed.
The former England international further alleged that Argentina had escaped disciplinary sanctions on several occasions during the tournament, claiming some challenges that would ordinarily attract yellow cards were overlooked by match officials.
Ferdinand said repeated controversial decisions involving Argentina had created a perception of inconsistency, warning that such impressions could undermine confidence in the integrity of the game.
He stressed that the Laws of the Game should be applied equally to every nation, including Argentina, Egypt, Brazil and France, regardless of their reputation.
Ferdinand concluded by saying football, its players and supporters deserve officiating that is fair, balanced and consistent, adding that the decisions made in the match had left many fans questioning the standard of refereeing.
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