Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:05pm on 13 Jul 2026,Monday Sports
Egypt forward Mostafa Ziko has praised Lionel Messi as football's greatest player after Cristiano Ronaldo despite previously alleging the FIFA World Cup 2026 was "fixed" following Egypt's 3-2 defeat to Argentina. Ziko, who scored against the defending champions and finished the tournament with two goals and one assist, said he was unfazed by Messi's presence on the pitch while admitting his personal inspiration remains Ronaldo. After the controversial quarter-final defeat, Ziko criticised the officiating, claiming Egypt suffered "clear and obvious injustice" and accusing referees of preventing his side from eliminating Argentina. He later apologised to Egyptian fans for the heartbreaking World Cup exit. (PC: Africa Soccer)
