New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani gave a humorous example from the World Cup at a press conference introducing a new express bus plan designed to give back the time city residents lose in transit.
Mamdani stated that the plan would provide significant time savings for passengers, saying, "Someone who commutes by bus will save about 24 hours in just six months, and more than two days by the end of the year."
The mayor said that this saved time means meaningful moments to spend with family, and continued:
This means agreeing with your friends that 'Egypt was robbed against Argentina yesterday.' Most importantly, it means giving time back to New Yorkers who don't have enough of it.
Mamdani's statement drew attention as a play on words between the English term 'robbed,' meaning to suffer an injustice in sports, and slow transportation 'robbing' people of their time.
The Egyptian national team was eliminated from the tournament after losing 3-2 to Argentina in the World Cup round of 16. After the match, Egyptian and Arab fans widely used the phrase 'Egypt was robbed' on social media, claiming that referee decisions influenced the outcome.
Although buses are one of the main modes of transportation in New York, slowness and traffic congestion are problems that negatively affect daily life. Mayor Mamdani's express bus plan is part of an effort to improve public transit and reduce the time city residents spend commuting between work and home.
The joke at the press conference drew laughter from attendees, and the footage attracted attention on social media, especially among those who followed the World Cup match.