Ibrahim Hassan, the director of the Egyptian national team, confirmed that the “Pharaohs” delegation received widespread support from Egyptian fans and Arab communities after the end of their journey in the 2026 World Cup. He also pointed out that the team left the tournament amid great praise for the performance they presented.
The Egyptian national team returned home after being eliminated from the World Cup in the round of 16. This came after a 3-2 loss to Argentina in a match marred by widespread refereeing controversy.
Ibrahim Hassan said in televised remarks on ON Sports channel: “Thank God for everything. We thank the Egyptian fans for the great support they gave us throughout the tournament. We always felt the magnitude of the responsibility towards them, so the players and the coaching staff gave their all”.
He added: “We aspired to continue the journey and achieve greater results, but things did not go as we hoped in the end, despite the performance of the national team”.
Praise for the role of the Egyptian community in America and Canada
He pointed to the great role played by the Egyptian community in the United States and Canada, saying: “The support we found from the community members was exceptional, and we also witnessed a return of enthusiasm for the national team, especially among the younger generations”.
He continued: “Football gives people a sense of pride and belonging, and what we saw from the Egyptian fans in the stands was a source of pride for everyone. I believe that our fans were the most present and supportive during the tournament”.
Ibrahim Hassan touched on the match against Argentina, stressing: “We felt very sad after the exit, especially since we were ahead in the score, but the match witnessed influential events that changed its course”.
He added: “We received many messages of support, and even apologies, from people we met in the United States after the match, because everyone saw that the Egyptian national team had a great tournament and left the competition in an honorable manner”.
The team manager explained that the coaching staff was not thinking about being satisfied with reaching the round of 16. He added: “We were always asking the players to think about going as far as possible, and our goal was not to return to Egypt early”.
He concluded his remarks by saying: “Hossam Hassan worked very hard throughout the tournament, and studied all the competitors thoroughly. I believe that God rewarded us for our dedication to the work, and what was achieved represents an important step for Egyptian football, despite the bitterness of elimination”.
