Algeria Football– Hossam Hassan, coach of the Egyptian national team, recently spoke at a press conference ahead of the match against Mauritania, scheduled for Friday in Cairo, as part of the qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2025 in Morocco. Hassan expressed confidence in his team, while highlighting the challenges they face, especially regarding the comparison between domestic and foreign coaches.
During his statement, Hossam Hassan recalled that his team must approach each match with the same seriousness: “We have a talented group of players and we must respect each opponent. It is crucial not to underestimate the qualifying phases and not to think beyond them,” he said. He also highlighted the difficulties of playing in Africa, pointing out that even with seven professional players playing abroad, Egypt does not always have the advantage over its opponents.
Hassan then criticized the treatment of national coaches compared to their foreign counterparts. He deplored the fact that local coaches do not receive the same respect and support, whether at club or national level. “We continue to exalt foreign coaches, while local coaches are often underestimated,” he said, before emphasizing that he fully assumed his choices and his responsibility as coach.
The Egyptian coach also criticized the obsession with foreign coaches, which he described as a “colonization” of minds. He hopes Egypt can one day compete with top African nations by leveraging its local talent. He also called for reform of Egyptian football, particularly within the Federation, referring to past leaders, such as Hani Abou Rida and Ahmed Megahed, who, according to him, hindered the development of national football.
Finally, Hossam Hassan concluded on an ambitious note, in anticipation of the next CAN in Morocco: “It is unacceptable that Egypt, the biggest winner of the CAN, is third in Africa. Morocco deserves its first place, but I promise we will be right behind them, or even surpass them.” This statement shows his determination to lead Egypt to the pinnacle of African football.
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