French Referee François Letexier Deactivates Instagram Amid Argentina's Controversial 3-2 World Cup Win Over Egypt

French referee François Letexier has reportedly deactivated his Instagram account following the intense backlash that followed Argentina's dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to reports, Letexier initially restricted comments on his Instagram posts as criticism continued to mount before eventually deactivating the account altogether.

The French official has been at the centre of controversy since overseeing the knockout clash, with many Egyptian supporters questioning several key decisions made during the match. The biggest talking point came in stoppage time when Egypt believed they should have been awarded a penalty moments before Argentina scored the decisive goal through Enzo Fernández.

The controversy has since escalated beyond social media. The Egyptian Football Federation officially lodged a complaint with FIFA, requesting an investigation into Letexier and his officiating team over what it described as serious refereeing mistakes that contributed to Egypt's elimination.