Mohamed Salah and his fellow Egyptian national team members have reunited in Cairo for the Pharaohs’ first match since their historic run to the last-16 at the Fifa World Cup.
First off for Egypt in their post-World Cup era are a pair of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, starting with a homecoming clash against Angola at Cairo International Stadium on Friday, before flying to Juba to take on South Sudan on Tuesday, September 29.
There is also a scheduled friendly game against South Africa in Cairo on October 4. The next Africa Cup of Nations, dubbed Pamoja 2027, will take place from June 19 to July 17 next year and will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania (Pamoja means ‘together’ in Swahili, one of the official languages of all three host nations).
Egypt are in Group B alongside Angola, South Sudan and Malawi, and the record seven-time African champions will begin their qualifying campaign on Friday looking to stamp their authority from the get-go.
Reasserting African dominance
The Pharaohs haven’t won Africa’s premier competition since 2010 and haven’t even reached the final since 2021.
This next phase for Salah and Co is all about putting Egypt back at the summit of the continent’s football hierarchy by building on their World Cup heroics to reclaim their powerhouse status.
“We must not retreat from what we achieved at the World Cup; that achievement is what restored the Egyptian national team's identity,” said Egypt defender Mohamed Hany in a press conference in Cairo on Thursday.
“We tackle each stage one by one and our current goal is to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. And that journey begins tomorrow.
“All games have become difficult and African teams include players from across the best leagues in the world.”
Hassan twins out to prove a point
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) renewed their faith in twin brothers Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan by extending their deals as the head coach and team director, respectively, of the national team until 2030.
A ceremony was held during this week’s training camp to celebrate the contract extension, during which Salah gave a speech to pay tribute to the twins, who have been credited for fostering a strong team spirit among the squad and creating an environment that has brought out the best in all the players.
Off-pitch personal drama has followed Hossam Hassan since the conclusion of the World Cup and this upcoming period will be key for him to maintain the confidence awarded to him by the EFA, as well as the Egyptian public, who now have high expectations given what was achieved at the World Cup.
“I am delighted by the fans’ ambition and the atmosphere I witnessed in Egypt, and I thank God that we are the reason for this state of optimism,” Hossam Hassan said on Thursday.
Familiar faces
The group present for these two Afcon qualifiers is mostly unchanged from the one that made history in North America during the summer.
The likes of Salah, Omar Marmoush, Mostafa Ziko, Hamza Abdelkarim, Haissem Hassan and Emam Ashour are all back as key components of Egypt’s attack.
Hossam Hassan’s defence however has taken a hit with both Yasser Ibrahim and Hamdy Fathy out injured, which has prompted the coach to call up Omar Fayed, the 23-year-old who plays for Serie A side Frosinone, for the first time.
Also ruled out for injury is Al Riyadh’s Mahmoud Trezeguet, while Marwan Attia is part of the roster but will miss the Angola game through suspension.
Mostafa Shobeir, who shone for the Pharaohs during the World Cup but surprisingly did not land a deal with any European club and instead extended with Al Ahly, will once again be Egypt’s first-choice goalkeeper but Mohamed El Shenawy did not make the cut, with rumours swirling about a possible rift between him and Hossam Hassan.
El Shenawy picked up an injury before Hassan revealed his roster but the manager said on Thursday that even if the Al Ahly ‘keeper wasn’t injured, excluding him should not be questioned and does not mean there are problems between them.
The search for Salah’s heir
At 34, Salah is still the heart and soul of the Egyptian team, which was evident throughout the World Cup; but this next phase should be about finding a player who can help guide the Pharaohs in the future.
Omar Marmoush has not scored in an official competitive game since May 13 and his last goal in an Egypt jersey came against Saudi Arabia in a friendly back in March. The Spurs forward is in desperate need of ending his drought and these upcoming games provide a perfect opportunity for him.
Meanwhile, Hamza Abdelkarim touched down in Cairo fresh off of signing a deal that will keep him at FC Barcelona until 2030. Still just 18 years old, Abdelkarim has already gotten minutes with Barcelona in La Liga, and shone during preseason, scoring four goals in five games.
The fast-rising teenager is considered the future of Egyptian football and will likely feature heavily in Hossam Hassan’s plans moving forward.
Another talent in the mix, who made a huge statement for Egypt during the World Cup, is France-born Haissem Hassan, who joined Celtic over the summer. Hossam Hassan says the 24-year-old forward arrived to the camp injured but is undergoing intensive rehab in order to be ready for the upcoming games.
