VAR ‘fixes’, AI slop and perpetual outrage: the World Cup in the age of conspiracy | Karim Zidan

With cries of malfeasance and injustice over referee decisions, Fifa actions and even Argentina’s run, the tournament is a mirror of a theory-pilled society “Life is unfair.” This was the first thing that Hossam Hassan, Egypt’s fiery coach, told the media after his country’s devastating 3-2 loss to Argentina in the last 16. The legendary striker turned manager had been minutes away from orchestrating one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. The Pharaohs were up 2-0 against the defending world champions. Then, late in the second half, Argentina staged an extraordinary comeback, scoring three goals in 13 minutes, bringing Egypt’s storybook run to a sudden end. Continue reading...

Karim Zidan · Fri, Jul 17, 2026, 9:15 AM
US news | The Guardian

VAR ‘fixes’, AI slop and perpetual outrage: the World Cup in the age of conspiracy | Karim Zidan

With cries of malfeasance and injustice over referee decisions, Fifa actions and even Argentina’s run, the tournament is a mirror of a theory-pilled society

“Life is unfair.”

This was the first thing that Hossam Hassan, Egypt’s fiery coach, told the media after his country’s devastating 3-2 loss to Argentina in the last 16. The legendary striker turned manager had been minutes away from orchestrating one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. The Pharaohs were up 2-0 against the defending world champions. Then, late in the second half, Argentina staged an extraordinary comeback, scoring three goals in 13 minutes, bringing Egypt’s storybook run to a sudden end.

This page shows an excerpt; reporting belongs to the original publisher. Some images or embeds may be omitted compared with the live article.