Hamdi Fathi, the Egyptian national team player, revealed the behind-the-scenes of the Pharaohs' journey in the World Cup and the match against Argentina, praising the level of Mohamed Salah and Mostafa Shobier, as well as revealing special details about Mostafa Zico.
Hamdi Fathi
Club: Al-Wakrah
The Egyptian national team bid farewell to the World Cup in the round of 16 after suffering a 3-2 defeat to Argentina.
Hamdi Fathi said on On Sport: "We felt frustrated because Mostafa Zico's goal was disallowed against Argentina, especially since it was a beautiful goal".
He continued, "Mohamed Salah is always different, but in this World Cup he was helping us a lot and delivering an outstanding performance".
He added, "Argentina's defenders were afraid to face Mohamed Salah because they know him well".
He revealed, "We were all surprised when Lionel Messi went to Mohamed Salah before entering the pitch, and we all respected Messi a lot because of this moment".
Regarding Zico joining the Egyptian national team, he said: "We were all surprised in the camp before the match against Russia when Zico joined, especially since he did not participate with us in the qualifiers, but he delivered a great performance and added a distinctive addition to the team, and we all welcomed him".
He continued, "Hossam Hassan always tells Zico, 'Let your mother keep praying for us'".
He explained, "Zico's personality is distinctive; he always wants to play and score goals. I used to follow him before with the clubs he played for, and he is a distinctive player who delivers a high level".
Regarding participating in the World Cup, he said: "Before we went to the World Cup, we met and agreed that we wanted to achieve something big in this edition, and our goal was to reach the farthest point in the tournament, not just a passing participation".
He continued, "Mohamed Salah always gives us motivation, speaks in the interest of the team and the country, and always seeks to please the fans".
Regarding Mohamed Hany, he said: "I don't remember Mohamed Hany scoring two own goals because he had a great tournament and outstanding matches with the national team. We don't like to bring up this topic with him so it doesn't affect him".
He added, "In the match against Belgium, Hany delivered a perfect performance, but luck was not on his side and he scored an own goal".
Regarding Mostafa Shobier's performance, he said: "Shobier is one of the most hardworking players, takes care of himself, and I expected him to have a great tournament, and that's exactly what happened".
He revealed, "For me, Mostafa Shobier is one of the best goalkeepers in the tournament".
He concluded, "Mohamed El Shenawy is always beside Shobier, advising and supporting him. We always sat together, and the atmosphere was perfect and did not affect anyone".
Regarding Hossam Hassan, he said: "Hossam Hassan is very good at reading matches and can control their rhythm. He also trusts me greatly on the pitch, which is why I play in many matches in different positions".
He continued, "Iran's second goal, before it was disallowed, was a nightmare for us. The idea of shifting in the standings in one moment from second to third place was extremely exhausting".
Regarding facing Senegal and Morocco, he said: "We were not afraid of facing Senegal in the tournament if we qualified from third place. Luck was not on our side in previous matches against them, but every match has its own circumstances".
He added, "We would have won against Senegal if we faced them in the round of 32 of the World Cup".
He added, "We now have enough experience to face any opponent, and we fear no one. Facing big teams in the World Cup has given us great experience, and we no longer fear facing any team".
He added, "The Moroccan team feels anxious about facing Egypt, and we can beat them if we face them".
He revealed, "I watched Zico's video of the referee 'No Fear' after the match against Argentina on the bus 'I almost died laughing'".
He concluded, "Islam Issa recently joined us and proved himself, and Mohamed Hamdy was in the national team camp from the beginning of the journey, but they did not get the chance to be in the World Cup. I wish them a speedy recovery and that they join us in the next World Cup".
