Hani Abu Rida, President of the Egyptian Football Association, thanked the technical, medical, administrative staff, and players of the Egyptian national team after qualifying for the Round of 16 of the World Cup by defeating Australia on penalties, affirming that he trusted the players' ability to achieve victory.
Abu Rida said in statements to On Sport channel: "We had confidence in our players during the Australia match, and God willed that the joy would come in a more difficult way through penalty kicks."
He added: "I extend my thanks to the technical, medical, administrative staff, and players for the historic achievement of qualifying for the Round of 16 in the World Cup, as the victory gives us greater confidence and ambition."
He continued: "We are one group and family, as Hossam Hassan said, and there is great understanding among all members of the system. Every official is happy with the joy of the fans, and we are part of this joy, and proud of what our sons have achieved in the past period."
The President of the Football Association continued: "The Egyptian people's support for the national team and their following at all times during the World Cup is not strange for the Egyptian people."
Abu Rida also revealed: "From the beginning, I spoke with Hossam Hassan about the necessity of choosing strong teams in friendly matches, and I believe we no longer have fear or intimidation, and the most important thing is not to suffer any injuries."
He concluded his statements by saying: "I extend my thanks to the Egyptian fans present with us in the tournament, as well as to those who were keen to attend from Egypt, and to everyone who supports the team from within the country."
