Egypt coach Hossam Hassan: “Salah wants to win the AFCON”

Egypt national team head coach Hossam Hassan spoke about the upcoming match against Zimbabwe, stressing that star Mohamed Salah wants to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Egypt will begin their Africa Cup of Nations campaign by facing Zimbabwe at 8:00 PM GMT on Monday evening, in the first round of the group stage.

Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Hossam Hassan said:
“I am very happy to be in Morocco. We are taking part in a major gathering and one of the biggest tournaments in the world. The Africa Cup of Nations is extremely important for the Egyptian fans.”

He added:
“The Zimbabwe national team has professional players, and we respect them greatly. At the same time, we are fully prepared for the match. All players are ready, and we hope everyone will be in their best condition. We are the most successful team in the tournament’s history, and we hope to maintain our status.”

Hassan continued:
“The first match is always difficult, and its importance is like a final. The Zimbabwe match is our first step, so it is very important, and we will work to achieve victory.”

He went on to speak about winning the AFCON title:
“I have the honor of winning the Africa Cup of Nations three times, and it is a great feeling. I transferred this feeling to the players. The importance of the tournament must reach both the players and the fans. We have big players in the national team, and they must win a title like this. It is not acceptable to end your international career without winning a trophy, because the feeling is completely different.”

He pointed out:
“All facilities are available in Morocco, and everything helps us succeed. We feel like we are in our own country, with stadiums and accommodation at the highest level.”

Hassan explained:
“It is difficult for everyone to agree on the coach’s selections. Our squad is strong but not 100 percent complete. We have some absences, but I am satisfied with my choices. I trust all the players to execute what we have trained on. We have 14 players appearing in the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, which has been missing for a long time, to create continuity until 2026, and we succeeded in doing that without anyone noticing.”

The coach showed confidence in Egypt’s squad:
“I have full confidence in all the players. We have defenders who can compensate for any absence. I always say that defending starts from the striker. Any coach would wish to be in my position; it is a good and difficult situation at the same time, as we have depth in all positions.”

He emphasized:
“In the World Cup qualifiers, we achieved what was required and reached the World Cup without defeat. I am lucky to have players like Mohamed Salah, Trezeguet, Marmoush, and Mostafa Mohamed. I am very happy with the group, both technically and behaviorally. Egypt has always been a pioneer, and winning seven titles is a great achievement that is difficult to match. We hope to increase this number. All teams have the legitimate right to win the title, but we are determined to lift the trophy.”

Hossam Hassan inquired:
“Why do you link the first national team to the results of other teams (youth, juniors, and the second team)? We reached the World Cup finals without defeat. We have a generation that is the best since the 1990 generation, and I am happy to coach them.”

Egypt coach spoke about Liverpool star Mohamed Salah:
“I am always in contact with Mohamed Salah, and I met him when he joined the camp. He has great motivation. Since I took over the national team, Salah went through some decline in form, but he always regains his balance with the national team because he finds himself with us and with his teammates. Mohamed Salah will remain an icon and one of the best players in the world. His morale is very high, and we must not forget that Mohamed Salah wants to win the Africa Cup of Nations. God willing, he and his teammates will do something special for their country.”

He concluded:
“A champion must always be ready. This time, we have a generation that follows another. We know how strong the tournament is, and everyone has chances, but our goal and ambition are to win the title. The players and the fans know this well. Our preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations started with the World Cup qualifiers. We managed to build a good team capable of winning the title, and the Egypt national team will always remain great.”

Egypt are placed in Group B of the Africa Cup of Nations, alongside Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Angola.

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