Coach: Hector Cuper
Star player: Mohammad Salah
World Cup best: First round, 1934, 1990
Despite a record seven Africa Cup of Nations wins, Egypt have horribly underperformed in the World Cup, failing to get past the first round or out of the group in just two appearances.
Now however, with a talisman like Ballon d’Or contender Mohammad Salah — who needs no introduction after his breakthrough season at Liverpool — there is real hope of the Pharaohs going one better.
The question is can he carry this form — and the hopes of the Arab world — into the World Cup, despite not having the same quality around him as he does at Liverpool?
His five goals in qualifying (the most in Africa) helped Egypt book their ticket to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years in October. That was confirmed with his brace against Congo at home in their penultimate group game, where he scored a 94th minute winning penalty.
Even though they topped that group comfortably with Uganda, Ghana and Congo, they still lost 1-0 away to Uganda along the way, and lost the final of last year’s Africa Cup of Nations to Cameroon.
Defensive, counter-attacking coach Hector Cuper also plays the antithesis of Jurgen Klopp’s free-flowing attacking football, and while Salah has the likes of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in support at Liverpool, the Egyptian team is a lot less pressing or star-studded.
With the exception of 45-year-old keeper-captain Essam Al Hadary, who will become the World Cup’s oldest ever player, it’s a young squad with decent hopes like Ramadan Sobhi, Mohammad El Neny, Sam Morsy, Ali Gabr, Ahmad Hegazi and Ahmad ElMohamedy, who all ply their trade in England.
There’s never been that many Egyptians in England and that shows a rise in quality but it remains to be seen if they are experienced enough to support Salah against the best.
It may be enough to get out of the group for the first time however, and after domestic football in Egypt was disrupted for two seasons from 2011 to 2013 due to revolutions, civil unrest and the Port Said Stadium riot, such an achievement would bode well for the future.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Essam Al Hadary, Mohammad Al Shenawy, Sherif Ekramy
Defenders: Ahmad Fathi, Saad Samir, Ayman Ashraf, Ahmad Hegazi, Ali Gabr, Ahmad Al Mohamady, Mohammad Abdul Shafi, Omar Gaber, Mahmoud Hamdy
Midfielders: Mohammad Al Neny, Tarek Hamed, Sam Morsy, Mahmoud Abdul Razzak, Abdallah Al Said, Mahmoud Hassan, Ramadan Sobhi, Amr Warda, Mahmoud Abdul Moneim
Forwards: Mohammad Salah, Marwan Mohsen.
