Toni Kroos shared his thoughts on the controversy surrounding Egypt’s elimination against Argentina in the World Cup. While many have criticized the refereeing and some VAR decisions, the former German international believes the match can’t be boiled down to just one incident.
“I don’t understand why people always look for excuses after a result like this. Football is decided over 90 minutes, not by one moment. Egypt played an excellent first half, but after leading 2–0, they lost control of the match, and Argentina took advantage. That’s what the best teams do.”
For Kroos, the Egyptian team started the match impressively, setting the pace and putting Argentina under pressure. However, he believes managing their first-half lead was one of the major turning points of the game.
“People keep talking about the referee and VAR, but if you watch the match objectively, Argentina’s comeback was built on their intensity, quality, and mentality. They believed until the final whistle, while Egypt couldn’t maintain the same level they showed at the start.”
The former Real Madrid midfielder emphasizes that great teams know how to capitalize on key moments. For him, Argentina showed their ability to respond in a tough situation, which is an essential trait of ambitious teams.
“You can’t waste a two-goal lead against one of the best teams in the world and then reduce everything to a single decision. Football is much more complex than that.”
Toni Kroos acknowledges that discussions about refereeing are an integral part of modern football. Decisions made during matches can always spark debates, especially in high-pressure games like those in a World Cup.
“There will always be debates about refereeing, and that’s normal. But to say the match was ‘stolen’ or that the tournament is handed to Argentina on a platter is unfair to all the players on the pitch. It’s the players who decide matches with their performances, not conspiracy theories.”
According to him, solely blaming the refereeing sometimes prevents recognition of the mistakes made by a team during a match. Egypt had the means to hold onto their lead, but they ultimately succumbed to the constant pressure from an Argentina that raised their game.
“The tough thing after a defeat is accepting that the opponent was better in the decisive moments. Argentina deserves credit for how they reacted under pressure, and Egypt should be proud of their performance while learning from the mistakes that cost them dearly. That’s football.”
Toni Kroos on the claims that Argentina robbed Egypt at the World Cup:
🗣️ "I don't understand why people always look for excuses after a result like this. Football is decided over 90 minutes, not by one moment. Egypt played an excellent first half, but after going 2–0 up they… pic.twitter.com/V6LKck07Yv— Sage (@Sage_FCB) July 8, 2026
For Kroos, this match once again illustrates that football isn’t just about one controversial action. The ability to manage tough moments, stay focused, and respond in key situations often makes the difference at the highest level.
The former German player believes Egypt should take the positives from their performance while analyzing the mistakes that allowed Argentina to come back into the match. Meanwhile, the Argentine team can take pride in showing mental strength that helped them turn around a challenging situation.
