Egypt coach Hossam Hassan: “FIFA must respect the African continent”

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan confirmed that the match against Angola provided a valuable opportunity to give several players game time, stressing that the Pharaohs are fully prepared to face any opponent in the Round of 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Egypt played out a goalless draw with Angola in the match held at Adrar Stadium, in the third and final round of the group stage. Despite the draw, Egypt finished top of Group B, securing qualification for the knockout stages.

Speaking during the post-match press conference, Hossam Hassan said:
“The Angola match was a good opportunity to give a large number of players the chance to participate.”

He added:
“The objective of the Angola game was to test more than one player. We managed to achieve positive results in all three matches and ended the Angola game in a positive way.”

Hassan explained that squad rotation was necessary due to the tight schedule, noting:
“Resting several players was due to the short time between the South Africa and Angola matches.”

The Egypt coach reiterated his confidence ahead of the knockout phase, stating:
“We are ready to face any team in the Round of 16. The players delivered what was required during the group stage after topping the group ahead of South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe.”

He continued:
“We will work on increasing the positives in the upcoming matches and addressing the negatives. I am satisfied with the performance of the players who are participating in the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time.”

Hassan also provided an update on an injury and suspensions, saying:
“Mohannad Lasheen will undergo scans to determine the extent of his injury. The absence of Trezeguet and Marwan Attia was due to yellow-card accumulation from the matches against South Africa and Zimbabwe.”

The Egypt head coach concluded by voicing his opposition to the decision to hold the Africa Cup of Nations every four years.
“I don’t believe this decision is in the best interest of African football. I think African players are not satisfied with it. This decision is mainly due to African players playing in Europe,” he said.

He added:
“Just as FIFA promotes the slogan of respect, it must respect the African continent, its players, their families, and their religious occasions. You cannot change the system of the European Championship, and we are all under the umbrella of FIFA.”

⚽ Follow Pan-Africa Football across platforms for real-time news and stories.